A Loving Family

A father was coming home exhaustedly and 7 years old son come up welcoming and opening the door cheerfully. While taking his suitcase, the son asked his father....

Son : Dad...may i ask you a simple question ?

Father : Hmmm....what's the question ?

Father : Daddy...how much is your one hour salary ?

Father : That's not your business....,why did you ask that stupid question ?

The father getting angry.

Son : I just wondering to know....please tell me how much you got in an hour at your office ?

The son trying to beg to his father hoping desperately for his father's answer

Father : 20 thousand rupiah(=+ 2dollars) for one single hour. Why do you want to know about it ?

His father asking again..

Son mumbling : Oh....20 thousand rupiah....

The son looking down,he was staring at the floor

Son : Daddy..may I borrow 10 thousand rupiah from you ?

The father getting little bit angrier immediately and then said, "Oh, so that's why you did ask me about my income per hour...

What will you do with that money ?Ask me 10 thousand ?To buy more toys ?I am working so hard to get that sum of money, and then you just playing and wasting that money ?It's enough....,

I want you to go to bed now... !!

Then the son stayed in silence and slowly walking towards his bedroom . The father sat in the sofa and wondering why his very little son asking him sum of 10 thousand rupiah.

After 2 hours passed, the father got calmed back, the thought passing his mind that maybe his son really need it for his school purposes because he never ask that sum of money before. He felt very guilty and then walking towards his son's bedroom. He found his son still not sleep yet.

Do you really need that 10 thousand my son... ?So take it.....

The father then took a sheet of red colour 10 thousand rupiah from his wallet and gave it to his son. He was waking cheerfully and smiling happily.

Thank you so much Daddy! "Then he lifted his pillow and took out another sheet of 10 thousand rupiah that now looked dingy because folded by the pillow. Seeing the money, the father got aggrieved and felt bitter.

"Why did you ask more money for you did already have that much of money?And where did you get it ? "

The son turned down his face....discourage to stare at his father face.Crushing the money in his hand and then he talked softly....

This money.....I was spending it day a day from my daily allowance from you that you gave for my purpose at school. I asked you another 10 thousand rupiah for I have no money anymore.....

Do not have anymore money for what.. ?

The father cut his son's word.

Dad....now I already have 20 thousand rupiah in my hand ....Please you take it. I want to buy from you one hour of your time at the office. I would like you to return home earlier tomorrow......

I want to get a dinner with you............

The son said it without noticing his father

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This story is not just for the father but for all of us who are members of our family.

The message is simple, Invest your time for your family.

Christ himself at the age of twelve, when he went to the temple and preach about the words of God. at that age He already knew what his mission here on earth and he fully knew what he was doing. The question is, in spite of truly at twelve years old, Jesus knew exactly what he wanted to do, and he knew that he can already do his mission, Why he would still for the next 18 years, hide himself within the family of Nazareth and be an ordinary member of a family?

Is the 18 years of Jesus wasted because he did not start his ministry when he was 12 years old?

Why wait for 18 years? and then begin it only at the age of 30.

Because Jesus wants to share with us the importance of the family.

What he wants to say is, Family life is much more important than professional life.

Yes, we need to work, but if your job gradually destroy and separates your family, that is not something that you should choose. The family, Jesus tells us is so important that for 18 years he was an ordinary family man.

There is a moment when a family experience some misunderstanding, even with the family of Jesus, Joseph and Mary. When Jesus was left in the temple not knowing by his parents, that is a moment of tension. But in the end Love for God and Love for each other will overcome all of these.

In our family, which today is called to be the institution that is most under fire. Some said, You want to destroy the society? Destroy the family. But in a family where there is true love, you can almost be sure that you will have real good and loving citizens of the land.

Jesus tells us, Give time to your family, invest quality time for your family to grow in loving.

Family is important,

Presence is important,

Time for each other is important.

--

Few days from now, will say goodbye to the year 2010, and we will welcome the year 2011.

There will be so much preparation for that event, food, parties, gifts, cultural beliefs to attract good luck and of course fireworks. All of these is for us to have a prosperous new year. I also believe that it is good to do it, but there is nothing greater than this, that on that day, your family gathers together to pray as one, and a loving family may truly be yours.

Again and again,

FAMILY is important,

TIME is how you make that family, loving.

PRESENCE is the greatest gift that you can give to each other.

Jesus decided to be a part of a family, and he teaches us two important things, that the family cannot be together as one without someone who has truly in love with the lord and the lord is not the king of your family. second, family can only be a true place where you can feel that this is the place where you always want to be, if in that family, love is truly experienced.

Love deeply and Love passionately, you might be hurt but it is the only way to live life completely.

May you have a blessed new year,

Ash

(inspired by Fr. Mar)

The Greatest Gift!

I saw this story in the internet and I want to share it with you.

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Long ago, there ruled in Persia a wise and good king. He loved his people. He wanted to know how they lived. He wanted to know about their hardships. Often he dressed in the clothes of a working man or a beggar, and went to the homes of the poor. No one whom he visited thought that he was their ruler.

One time he visited a very poor man who lived in a cellar. He ate the coarse food the poor man ate. He spoke cheerful, kind words to him. Then he left.

Later he visited the poor man again and disclosed his identity by saying, "I am your king!" The king thought the man would surely ask for some gift or favor, but he didn't. Instead he said, "You left your palace and your glory to visit me in this dark, dreary place. You ate the coarse food I ate. You brought gladness to my heart! To others you have given your rich gifts. To me you have given yourself!"

--------

This man teaches us a wonderful story of what Christmas is all about.

When Jesus decided to show how much He loved us, He did not decided to sent us too many gifts. This is just extra gifts. Instead He decided to give us the greatest of all gifts, the gift of His own self.

What is the difference between Christ and Santa Claus?

Santa Clause comes, gives us gifts and then he will leave.

Christ comes, not to give us extra gifts but offer us himself. And the most beautiful about that is He did not leave us. He decided to be the "Emmanuel" for all of us.

If you truly know how to love, you can understand that "PRESENCE" is the greatest gift that a person can yet give.

There is another story circulates on Qatar about what something happened on Dubai.

One day, their leader Sheikh Khalifa disguised as an ordinary man. He gets his Ferrari  and drive it on a narrow way, but what he did is he drove his car too fast and at the end of the road there is a policeman and commanded him to stop because of over-speeding. While the police walk near to the car, he was shocked when he discover that it was the sheikh. The police did not know what to do, will he let the sheikh go or he will issue a ticket?

But he decide and said. "Your highness, you are over-speeding and your highness, much as I would not like to my duty tells me, I will give you a ticket"

After he gave the ticket, he told to himself, "Surely, tomorrow I will get fired but I don't care I just did what must suppose to do".

The next day, He has been brought to the palace.

And immediately the sheikh said, "I was looking for an honest and efficient policeman I have found one in you. You are promoted to a higher position".

And then the police answered,"Sir, the promotion that I would like and I have already received is that I have served my king".

The joy of this man is not that he gave a ticket to the king but he have serve the king by doing what his duty tells him to do.


Today, as we move forward to Christmas we must repeatedly tell to ourselves that may we desire every gifts that He might give but we must also not forget that as we desire the gifts we would not forget the giver of the gifts. That as we want the graces and the blessings, we would not forget the giver and the source of all of these.

My dear friends, True joy is in knowing that in your life you are obeying the will of the Lord.
Let Joseph be an example, he teaches us where true joy is to be found, in his obedience he permitted himself to be use as an instrument of God, so that God can be Emmanuel, God with us.

The greatest gift of Jesus is not for you to win the lottery, to give you a life that is too comfortable, the greatest gift that we celebrate in Christmas is that this our king, great and savior of all will be living with us.

Christ is Emmanuel, God is with us.
Christ is Jesus, the God who saves.
That is greatest reason of our celebration.


Hopefully on the day of His birth,truly we may say to ourselves,

"Christmas is happening to me, because Christ is with me"




May you have a Merry and Blessed Christmas,

Ash








(inspired by fr. Mar)

Faith

"Faith"

One of the definition I found on a dictionary for that word is "complete confidence in a person or plan"
It is easily to say that we have faith.

Faith in God, faith to your friends, your loved ones and many more.

Have you asked yourself about that word?


Maybe while you are reading this I am still working for our thesis.
As a graduating(hopefully) Computer Science student this is the time I really felt how hard it is to be a college student. Much more different during high school.

Why I am saying this?

Because faith is very much visible during times of difficulties.
When we are in trouble, when we are in pain, when we find ourselves if a very difficult situation. Faith will became our strength. It gives us Hope during those times.

I am talking about our faith in God.

As a human, we are very busy about school, work, to make money, leisure and things that somehow make us forget what is more important.

Being faithful is not only when we are no choice but to call God.

Let us learn to put our trust and faith in God in every moments of our life.

If we all learn to do that, then that is the time when we can live with no anxiety. Not worrying  for tomorrow because you know that God is always there.

When we are faithful to the Lord we cannot help but to obey His commands.

Like Abraham on the bible, when the Lord give him a son and ask him to kill his son as an offer, even though it is very hard as a father to do, with faithfulness to God he obey.
He knew that God has a better plan than him. That God is more important than his son. That God is the one that gives him a child as a blessing.

As he offers his child, an angel hold his hand and prevent him from killing his son.
God is just testing how faithful Abraham is and because he proves that he is faithful, he rewarded so much by God.


Another story is about Mary, when she has been asked by the angel to be the mother of Jesus, with faithfulness she accepted it. She knows that she is single but still she accept because of Faith and as a Lord's servant.

Many times it is very hard to understand God's will.
It is beyond our human intellect that is why sometimes it is hard to obey.

Like Abraham and Mary, even though they did not understand exactly what is the plan of the God they still follow His command because it is God that speak.

In our lives, let us pray to God that make our faith so strong,so that we can obey with everything that He say.

Faith is not about you understand all God wants to say, but you believe and you obey because God is the one speaking.

May your life be truly blessed,

Ash

My Love Letter

To my lover,


Hi! how are you?
Its been so long since the last time we talk.
Many times that I didn't think about you, sometimes I forgot to call you
Being so busy in many things makes me move away from you.

Do you still know me?

I miss You!

I know you are still beautiful, kind, understanding and many things that makes you so special.

Thank you for being supportive, for being kind to me.
Most of all thank you for loving me.

I'm writing this because I want to be with you again.

I Love You!

For all the things that Ive done against you, I'm very sorry.
I realize that I am nothing without you.

I remember those times that we are together....

We are so happy day and night.
Living a simple life together with contentment in my heart.
I cannot ask for more during that time.
You are my greatest treasure.

When trials came to my life, we solve it together.
When the world seem so against me, you were there strengthening my heart.
When problems made me fall, you always there to reach out my hands and pull me up.
When I failed on something, you boost my confidence to work for it again.

You are my strength.
You gives me hope.
You are my life.

But I sin against you.
I walked away from you.
I left you behind.
I've been attracted to the beauty of someone.
Someone I thought that is more enjoyable to be with than you.
I thought that someone is better than you.

But all that ive thought is wrong.

All the time you are calling me, but I always refuse your calls.

I know I hurt you with so much pain.
But you are still there loving me.
waiting for me to return.
waiting for me to love you again.
You did not give up on me.

I am very sorry.

Now I am here asking for another chance.
Another chance to be with you again.
I felt your love for me,
and because of  that I realize that I am nothing in this world.

How I committed all those sins to the one who loves me unconditionally?

Please forgive me..

Hold my hand again.
Let me spend the rest of my life with you.
I really miss your company.

I miss those times that we are together.
Eating together,
walking together,
laughing together,
sleeping together,
living together.


Thank you for waiting for me to return.
Here I am.. accept me again.

For may moments that I refuse to listen when you says to me the words, "I Love You".

Now is the time for me to ask for your forgiveness and to say to you that "I Love You too.."

Let us walk again and Love each other again...
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I Love You! Jesus!


Love,

Ash

Disciple

Recently, We celebrated the feast of  St. Mary Magdalene.

The church celebrate it as a memorial, but in our town we celebrate it as a solemnity because she is our patron saint.

Mary Magdalene is my favorite saint, thats why I dedicate this entry as a tribute to her.

Christians, Catholics or non- catholic we can learn many things from this women as we recognize ourselves as followers of Jesus.



Who is Mary Magdalene??

Among all the characters in the Bible, I think Mary of Magdala is the one with a most confusing identity.
Some said that she is a prostitute and someone that commits many sins.

The bible did not say any name for the prostitute. I dont know why people said that it is Mary Magdalene.

If Mary Magdalene is with us now, maybe she might said, "ok, if thats what you know about me. The most important is what happens to me when Jesus became a part of my life".

According to the sacred scriptures, Mary is the one that has been healed by Jesus from 7 demons.

From that day of encounter with Jesus, Mary became a follower to Him.
Mary felt the love of Jesus for her, and because of that She also loves Jesus.
She offers herself to follow the Lord, to learn from God.
She follow Jesus until death.

When Jesus is persecuted, all the disciples of Jesus hides because of fear except John.
Together with Mary the mother of God and the beloved disciple of Jesus, Mary Magdalene follows Jesus up to the foot of the cross.

Because of the love she felt from Jesus.
Bravely, she continue the journey with Christ.

At the foot of the cross, she continues to cry as she sees her master hanging in there, bloody.
She became brave to follow Him because of her love for Jesus.

During the time of resurrection, she went to the tomb of Jesus very early.
For me, this manifest the great love of Mary to Jesus and her desire to see and give respect even to the dead body of her Master.

as what we know, Mary saw an empty tomb.
she told this to the other apostles, and when the other apostles also see the empty tomb they go back home, but Mary stays there, crying.... hurting so much because of the death of Jesus and now because of His missing body.
and because of her cry Jesus heard her call, and the risen Lord appears to her calling her name "Mary" and by this she recognize that it is Jesus.

Mary Magdalene becomes the bearer of the Good News, the Best news.
The Lord is Risen.

Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples "I Have seen the Lord" and what Jesus told her.

**

As a Christian, like Mary Magdalene we must learn how to follow Jesus because of love and not because of what we can get from Him

All of us are sinners, the most important is, do you recognize your sins and are you willing to ask for the forgiveness of God?

All sins can be forgiven because of God's overflowing love and mercy.


Offer your life to God, let us Love Jesus like Mary, because in the first place we are Loved by Him.

Let Jesus be your number 1 desire.
Like Mary that desires to see the lord and persevere to see Him.
Not like the other apostles who go home when they saw an empty tomb.
Because of Her perseverance, the Lord appears to her and became the first to see the Risen Jesus.



Let us pray that in our life like Mary we may say, "I have seen the Lord".

Lets make the life of Mary Magdalene as an example to listening, following and Loving Jesus.


May your life be truly blessed,

Ash

GIFTS!

A young man was getting ready to graduate college. For

many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's

showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told

him that was all he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited

signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the

morning  of his graduation his father called him into his private

study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine

son, and  told him how much he loved him. He handed his son

a beautiful   wrapped gift box.

Curious, but somewhat disappointed the young man

opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible. Angrily,

he raised his voice at his father and said, "With all your money you

give  me  a Bible?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the holy

book.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in

business.

He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his

father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He

had   not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make

arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had

passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He

needed   to come home immediately and take care things.

When he arrived at  his father's house, sudden sadness and

regret filled his heart.

He began to search his father's important papers and

saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With

tears,  he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. As he

read those   words, a car key dropped from an envelope

taped behind the Bible.

It  had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the

sports  car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation,

and the words...PAID IN FULL.

******************

Blessings are hidden in every person, things, and  everything that happens to your life.

All you need to do is to look at it not only with its packaging but with whats inside it and recognize it and by that time you will realize every moment you must thank the Lord.

How many times do we miss God's blessings because they are not

packaged as we expected?

May your life be truly Blessed, 

Ash

Dash

How is your living?
Are you living a great life?


I just wanna share to you this poem......


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I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
from the beginning...to the end.

He noted that first came her date of birth
and spoke the following date with tears,
but he said what mattered most of all
was the “dash” between those years. (1934 -1998)

For that dash represents all the time
that she spent alive on earth...
and now only those who loved her
know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own;
the cars...the house...the cash,
what matters is how we live and love
and how we spend our “dash”.

So think about this long and hard...
are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left,
that can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
to consider what's true and real,
and always try to understand
the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger,
and show appreciation more
and love the people in our lives
like we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,
and more often wear a smile...
remembering that this special “dash”
might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy's being read
with your life's actions to rehash...
would you be proud of the things they say
about how you spent your “dash”?


**********************


Spent your life with God.
Walk with Him before its to late..


Love... Love... Love...




May your life be truly blessed,


Ash

Even IF

I just want to share to you this poem.




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Even If
Your heart is breaking
Your mind is unclear
Your tired and restless and full of fear
Come to me-

even if
You say words you shouldn't
You don't do things you should
You doubt and try to change,
but never think you could.
Come to me- 

even if
You thought an evil thought
You thought the thought again
You turned the thought to action and now your bound in sin.
Come to me- 

even if
You say "But I knew better, I belong to you"
Child, I am not surprised by anything you do.

I made you in my image I fashioned you with care,
When you cried tears into your pillow, remember I was there.
I have always been and always will I be.

For even when you do those things, you still belong to me.

Even if you do these things, Oh child, don't you see?
Even if, even if, you still can come to me.

There is a secret place I have created where you may seek my face,
this place I have for you is called "The Father's Warm Embrace"
And when I have held you in my arms and rocked you, listening closely to your fears,
I will place you on my lap and wipe away your tears.
Then, I will smile. 


A smile to let you know I am pleased.
For when you hurt and when you sinned, still- you came to me.


So, do not draw back from me my child,
I am Abba Father to you, remember in my word I said -Behold,
I make all things new.

I will forgive you, heal you, restore you,
I will shower you with grace.

I will never turn my back to you, but you will see my face.
On your journey home, when I see you I will run.....
Even if, Even if, My child, even if just come.

*******************************




May your life be truly Blessed,


Ash

Listen to Him

Oh....... I LOVE this week.
I really do..


This is the first week of my fourth year college life.

Before this week arrives, I am undecided if I will pursue my study or stop for a while and continue next semester or next year. My mind is full of many things that makes me think of it. Of course before I decide for myself I consult to my best adviser. I pray to God for the enlightenment of my mind to do what is the best for me to do.
I ask also some of my friends to help me with my worries.


Even myself says that I want to stop, all the answers I got from the people I ask says GO ON. They said I have only 1 year to finish college I must grab the opportunity and don't waste time.


I noticed that every time I pray about this matter, the Lord answers me right away. One time after I went to the blessed sacrament and pray, when I am doing what I always want to do to surf the net haha. I've gone to a site that talks about dream, being successful and many things about pursuing something. Even the homily of the priest and gospel readings, I think are targeting only one person, and that is me.


Before I decide I talk to God and said "Lord, I surrender. Let Your will be done not mine".
I also made a covenant with the Lord. I said in prayer, "I will go on, But when the time comes that I am in the moment of falling, Please always be there ready to catch me."
I know that moment, the Lord is with me saying,"Yes my son, I will always be with you in any moment of your life."

**********************************************

June 15 arrives, First day of class and also the day of my nativity.
Early in the morning, I went to church to attend a mass.
I thank the Lord for another year that He entrusted me His life.
another year to be a better person,
another year to spend with my love ones,
another year to be with my friends,
another year to enjoy His blessings here on earth,
and another year to LOVE.



after the mass I went home. The same situation and nothing is different from any other day.
as I spent many time in front of my pc, I decided to spend some moment with my classmates. We eat together and surprisingly I feel very awkward because they are singing happy birthday inside the mall while we are walking... hahahaha. I feel so shy but that is what makes friend different.
In the school, one of them give me a tumbler with their greetings and signature as gift, and I really appreciate it.But the best gift I receive is them already, my friends who is always there for me, making me happy and making fun of me even they know that I am easy to get angry. ^^,
I love also the Faculty members of my school.
When I enter the faculty room, there is our dean asking me some food before she sign my registration form because she knows it is my birthday. There is also our coordinator singing Happy birthday for me and other instructors who greets me that day. I feel so blessed.


I said to myself, "Buti na lang ngenroll ako"(good thing I enrolled).
Our section is handed by the instructor that I said to our coordinator that I wanted to be our professor. I am so impressed with the way he teaches to us during the demo. I enjoyed his class and I learned a lot.


Many things happened this week, It will take a long time to write this blog if I write it all.
What is important is I really learned a lesson.

as JP2 said, "Never doubt, never tired and never be discourage"

God is always with you, every single moment of our life.
Maybe we neglected Him some time but He is there watching us and waiting for us to recognize Him.


Do not be afraid to deal with God, at the end you will always be the winner.


Entrust everything to Him and Let your eyes see how He works to your life.

Carry your cross with Him and It will be lightened.

From now on I am ready to face life's new challenges because I know He is carrying me.



How about you, Are you ready???


May your life be truly blessed,

Ash

Is This Me??

Oh Its been so long since I wrote my last entry.
I miss blogging...

This past months have been so critical for me, OJT, thesis, and personal things need to be accomplished.

But honestly, since my last entry and up to this moment there is no idea comes to my mind that I can share in this blog. I cant find my self in the mood of writing. There is no topic that comes to my mind that I can elaborate and share my thoughts about.


Last month, I feel so sad about myself.
I am a very quiet and serious type of person and I hate my self for that.
There is always misunderstanding when I act in something that is not an element of being quiet and serious.
Misunderstanding that leads to no good but difference between me and the people around me.

Before I sleep at night I am always thinking to change my personality,
A personality that can be accepted easily.
Every night I did that. Thinking, imagining, fantasizing( hehehe).

Until I came to the point that I asked God.
"Lord, Do you want me to change?"
and surprisingly I received an answer..

During the morning, I open my computer and do what usually I do,
Facebook, listen to music, reading, a little bit of programming for our thesis( ya just a little because there are many things clogging my mind for me to produce a good logic needed for programming) and wasting time refreshing the browser to see some updates on facebook.
As I waste my time, I open the television and I watch and listen to the talk of a preacher, and there I found the Lords answer to my question.


The topic is about "BE TRUE TO YOURSELF"..
Wow, I think no need to listen to the whole talk, the title says it all.
As I finished watching many things comes to my mind,
like "Is being true to myself means I must act the same?"

for me, We all have a special gift, I believe in that.
Maybe your gift is to be a teacher,
to be a mother,
to make others laugh,
to be an accountant, a programmer and many more.
The bottom line is, "Is the way you are living now, magnify your gifts?"

If your answer is yes, good.
But if no,i will ask you.

Have you discovered what your gift Is?

maybe you should pause for a while, think, and ask the lord.
He will answer you in many way.

I think I've already said this on my previous entry that your gift is where You can put your passion, talent and you are enjoying while doing it. That is you calling. It gives you joy and fulfillment while doing such thing.

Now back to the question,  "Is the way you are living now, magnify your gifts?"

if you know what your calling is and your answer is no, I think that is the time you need to change.
Not change like you are acting another person. instead change for better, change a something in you that can tell the world this is me, this is how God wants me to be.

So that the world recognize the Lord,
the one who give you the gift,.

Do not act, just Live.

.
In the process I learned to love myself again.
I will change a little bit but I will be true to my self.

Always remember that
there is God that acknowledge you,
proud of who you are,
celebrates you and loves you no matter what the world sees about you..

At the end It is not what the world says that matters.
It is how you live your life,
Are you living a life that is pleasing to God?
Repent, God has unlimited mercy..



May Your life be blessed,
Ash

WHo are WE????

When you are walking on the street and someone needs a little help like picking something falls down from his pocket, will you lend a hand? and give little effort to help?


How do you want to be remembered?

It is an important question.
When someone ask you that what will be your response?

It is so easy to slide from one day to the next out of auto pilot.
doing things that you usually do everyday.

At the end of our life, at the end of YOUR life, when everything else falls away. what essence of you shines out?
What have you done in this world?

In remembering you, which words will others choose?

I wonder, dont you?

of all the possible adjectives that can use to describe, i think  the word KIND must be one of those.

For me if people remembers you of being kind, you have lived a life worthy of being remembered.

One time I saw a woman, an old woman walking and carrying many grocery bags.
The woman find it so hard to carry it alone.
Later, a man approach the old woman and offer his help. They carry the bags together until the woman makes her ride on a bus.

That act was not too heroic but it was so KIND.

Imagine a world without kindness..
What do you see?

A world that is full of selfishness. Working only for individual satisfaction.

more kindness leads to a more meaningful life, goodwill in a school and in your community.

So, Lucky for us that kindness is easy and natural thing.
It only requires awareness to those around you. being sensitive to your fellow human.

Like when in a public place like library, a simple act of kindness like turn your phone in silent mode for a while.

Let us learn to have more awareness and more KINDNESS..

Finally, We might ask, how do we collectively as a people want to be remembered?
What is our purpose?

I think the answer lies in the word....




We are manKIND.








-inspired by a video..

Hunger

Have you finished your meal?

Maybe your eat on your own home, some outside..

Like restaurants, fastfood, cafe..

have you eaten all the food on your plate?
Or do you have many left overs?

When ordering some foods with your friends and family, Do you think of somebody who have nothing to eat?

Maybe your ordering too much than what you can eat.
And the excess food will go straight to the trash bin of  the restaurant.

Many people died out of hunger everyday.
When we are eating, I hope everyone of us think of someone who have nothing.
Do not waste food.

Recently, I saw two children, swimming on a river of garbage.
It is so dangerous to be there.
There are many germ and bacteria coming from the garbage that can harm their health.
But for them, there is no garbage but instead there is a source of something that they can use to buy their needs.
They are swimming like playing on the water.
Some water from that dirty river comes inside their mouth.
But I think they are immune with that.

By watching on them, many thoughts comes to my mind.

One is the upcoming election in our country, the Philippines.

This country like those two child are also hungry.
Hungry for change.

The future of this country depends on how we will choose our the person who will lead us.
The person that can do everything that they promise during campaign.
A person who has a lot of things to do but few words to say.
Not just full of promise, but no initiative.

When the moment comes that you will shade the ballot.

Please think not only for yourself, but most of all for other people, especially children, the poor who depends on the government support to continue their lives. For the sick who are dying because they have no money to avail medicine, for the children that cannot go to school because of child labor. and most of all please think of this country who experienced corruption and many problems from the same person that promise heaven during campaign but brings hell after being elected.

Vote for someone who does not see presidency as a position with power, but instead who sees presidency as duty to serve people with love.

And for us, as a people of this world.
Please do care for those who are in need.
Let us learn to take care each other.
They don't need mercy, they needed to be care and above all they are need to be LOVE.
As what our Lord told us,
"Love one another as I have Loved you"

We are blessed and loved by God, and the Lord wants us to reach out and make that same love also felt by others and use our blessing that we received  to bless those in need.

Let me finish this entry with the three of my favorite quotes all coming from a person who serve the God by LOVING the poor..

"Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person."


"Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat. "


"If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one. "

Don't GIVE UP

In life there are lots of things that we might experience.

Happy moments.
Glorious moments.
Loving moments.
moments in abundance.
and many more...

We will experience happiness during some celebration feast and doing things that we like.

Some moments in our life that we are treasuring so much like graduation, wedding and birthdays.

But I know all of us have moments when we feel so sad, guilty, angry and some negative feelings.

It is normal.

Whenever you feel so down what will you do?
Are you going to sit down and wait?
Wait for other people to solve your problems?
Wait for other people to lift you up?

Or are you going to get up by yourself and face tomorrow with confidence?

Sometimes we experience falling down,
with so many problems and there are moments we think that our problems are too many for us to solve.
School problems,
Family problems,
Financial problems,
grievances, anxiety...




and you feel that there is no hope at all,
That there is no way to solve your problems.



Its like you fell on ground face down.
You are feeling helpless,
You feel that your friends and family run away from you and leave you alone.



When you are down literally, what will you do?


Are you going to start walking? NO..
Running? No..


What you gonna do is to stand up..



Just like when you feel your so down.
You need to find that strength to get back up....

You can find some motivations, your family, your child , your friends and many more..
and if you found nothing look again, because yourself needs you more than anybody else in this world.
When there is no one there for you do it for yourself..

Its not how hard you fall down,
It is how you will get up and walk in your life again..


You can try a thousand times to get back up, and if you fail a thousand times...
If you fail and you GIVE UP.
Do you think you can get up?

NO.

But if you fail and try again and again and again and again.....
you need to know that is not the end of your life,

It matters on how you gonna finish,

Are YOU gonna FINISH STRONG??

don't lose hope, you are going to find that strength to get back up..

Just don't GIVE UP....

This entry is inspired by Nick Vujicic

Friends..

All of us have friends.

Maybe our classmates, workmates, groupmates, schoolmates, and many more.

They are the one that makes you laugh and also cry.

The one that tease you until you freak out and then later will say sorry and after that you will laugh again together.

Some of us spends lots of time with our friends,

In good times, bad times they are our companions.

We open our problems with them and make a solution together.

We feel very comfortable if we are with our friends,

Why?

Maybe because we feel that me and my friends are equal.

not like in our own houses where you know that you have a parents and other relatives that is older and have much authority in your house than you. They are the one that needs to be followed and you have no choice to obey them.

That feeling is gone when we are with our friends, you treat each other as equal in authority with each other.

But have you ask yourself, are this people around me are my true friends??

They say that friends can also become our worst enemy. This I think is true, but i have faith that if my friends are real friends, no matter how big trials will come that will affect our friendship we can manage it correctly and together we can solve it. Every trials is test of friendship, it can destroy your friendship but it if handle each trial with trust it can make your friendship stronger.

Friends are gift from God to guide us, love us and to be our companion in every moment of our life.

When your friend makes a wrong way while taking his journey through his life,

be the arrow that points to the right path,

When your friends having a dark moments in life,

be the light that shines and brings hope.

Don't tolerate your friends vices,

give advice if needed.

and most of all Love one another..

This world will be peaceful if all of us became friends supported by love to each other.

I hope that someday, that will not remain a dream.

I hope that very soon,that to Love one another will be the habit of all people...

If we want true peace, start to be a friend in your neighborhood and you will notice later on that friendship you share to your neighbor will reach the whole community, country, and sooner you will be surprise the whole world becomes your friend.

Only if we realize that simple things really matter, the problems of the world will be solved unconsciously.

For of my friends,

 I love you all....

  

The Light

Happy Easter Everyone!!!



After 40 days of preparation, we are now celebrating and at the same time entering the season of easter.
This season, we remember Christ's Resurrection.


This past weeks we are in the mood of sadness because we remembered the passion and death of our lord.
His great sacrifice,
His passion,
His agony,
His death...

This are the things that we focused during lent.
Jesus' immeasurable love for us.
He loves us so much, that He sacrifice even His own life on each and everyone of us, even though we are not deserving of such sacrifices.

..............................................................................

The Victory


The whole world now celebrating the MOST important celebration of the year.
The church have lots of feast celebrated every year, but this occasion is the feast above all the feast.
The center of our faith, It is more important even than Christmas.

Jesus' Triumphant victory over death,..
manifested that He is the Lord..

The fulfillment of the scriptures,..

From the darkness of death here comes our light.. The light that we will see in Jesus.


In all the masses of the church, the easter vigil is the longest and most dramatic.

Why dramatic??

The mass starts not inside the church, but outside.
Outside there will be a bonfire.

In our church, there is a zip line connected from the bell tower to the bonfire.
When the priest commanded to light the bonfire, a fire ball coming from the bell tower will pass through the zip line. And this fireball will ignite the fire.

The fire will be blessed, and from that fire the "paschal candle" will be lightened.

The paschal candles symbolizes Jesus as our light that defeats that darkness.

From outside the candle will be brought inside the church, the priest holding the candle will stop 3 times and will say, "Christ our Light" or "Light of Christ" and the people will response "thanks be to God".

all of this happening while all the light of the church turned off, the only light you will see is the fire from the paschal candle. from that fire the people will light their own candle.

How beautiful it is to see that slowly the fire of the candle passed to each people to light their own candle.
Its like the light of Jesus will light up the whole church.

At the altar, the priest will sing the 'Exultet' or the easter proclamation.

After this the liturgy of the word begins, the candle of the people needs to be blown while the light still off and the darkness covering the whole church...

7 readings and 7 responsorial psalm....

after all this reading the Gloria is sung for the first time since the beginning of lent, at the same time the light of the whole church will now turned on. Symbolizing that Jesus conquers and reign victorious over darkness and death...

And the celebration will go on, we also renew our baptismal vows during this mass....
........................................................................

That is how dramatic it is..

Some will ask why??

Why we need to do this?

If someone will ask me that question, i might probably answer him. Why not??


We are celebrating our salvation, The victory of our champion, Jesus.
This is the center of our faith, that Jesus is alive, risen from the death.

-

The story of Jesus in this world does not end in passion and death.
Remember He is risen.

There is a famous saying," In every good Friday there is an easter Sunday".

In everything that you've been through, all the problems, trials and things that you might face.
do not forget there is a resurrection.

Jesus is our light,
Jesus is our life,

We must reflect the light coming from Jesus, so that this world will not always see darkness but light,
The light that guides us,
the light that defeats the darkness of evil.

So with all the trials, problems, anxiety, believe that the story does not end there,
Have faith that like Jesus our Lord, we will have our own resurrection in our life,
and like Jesus, our story will also end up VICTORIOUS!!