..

Hmm. And there goes the issue of uncertainty again, whose roots are from fears - the fear of losing oneself or losing something. Yet the predicament begins when one is asked to decide; for that person knows that he has to face the very fundamental situation in life: trade-off. Either way, whether there is success or failure, acceptance or rejection, or whatsoever, one has to face the reality of human predisposition - the propensity of man to seize melancholy or joy. Good morning.

Love.

Have you ever been in love? 

Whether it's a romantic love, platonic, the casual, puppy love, or love that you have for your family and friends, love in its simplest sense is being humble. 

And when we love, there is a risk of being humiliated. For an unrequited love, it is such a dilemma for a person to confess his/her love to that person, who neither loves him/her nor cares for him/her. Sometimes, we become so afraid of telling/confessing our love for the fear that it's not mutual. Yet perhaps, that is what is love is, after all, to conquer fear, to overcome fear. Love makes a person unstoppable.

Fear is not a subatomic particle of love. Love knows no fears, it just keeps on pressing on no matter what happens. Even if humiliation comes, love runs towards the horizon, bearing in mind its very goal: to be itself. And as it run, the bearer lets go of every possibility, including the possibility of being itself. That's why most mothers receive their very awards; during labor, the mother has to forget her identity - her posture, her aura, her makeup, her hair, and pose - everything about her, just to give birth of the one she loves.

When a person falls in love, or knows how to love, it should be celebrated. A person who does not know how to love is scarier than the ones featured in Halloweens!

And yet, what dazzles me the most about love is that it is patient. It does not hurry; it keeps an eye, or the five senses to the person, and it waits. It understands the changes that happen within and around it. It edifies, it builds, it connects. And some would say that pressure brings out the best in every person; but for me, people are not material things. We are living things. That's why there is love - everything should be out of love. Love strikes the balance. A tree bears fruit not because the owner puts pressure on that tree, but because it's full, it's healthy, it's nourished. Pressure is very mechanical, commercial, and frustrating. Pure love knows time, proper time.

Lastly, no, love should never be linked to regrets. When we did something for the ones that we love, we did it because we love. We do things because of love - reciprocity is no longer an issue. We regret because we expect something in return. Nothing can beat love but love itself.

Love makes us humble, patient, fearless, unstoppable, and makes us human.

"We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters."-1Jn 3:16

P.S. Love does not make us superheroes. Love is as simple as saying hello and as difficult as forgiving. That's giving up.

Banana

Frozen chocolate-dipped banana on stick

Oohh, one of my favorites. As much as possible, I try to make it to a point to buy some. It's sweet and makes me happy - the chemicals from banana and chocolate. Grab some. =)

Regrets

Aren't we allowed to regret?

All people regret and regretting is dependent on our decisions. Oftentimes, we regret because of wrong decisions - joined an organization, did something wrong, said something. We even regret when we make a good or/and right decision. But yesterday for me was a regretful day.

It was already 3 am that I went to sleep since I had to be busy about a paper that wasn't mine. I mean, I volunteered making a paper that wasn't mine and for my 19 years of existence here on earth, I haven't really made a paper that wasn't mine. I mean, paper, you know, personal ideas. Yet because I pitied that person, I volunteered, which the topic by the way was out of my field. And so I was still unproductive though I slept late. Before I slept, I even tweeted that I had to be in the school to work things out (e.g. thesis, etc.). And then I closed my eyes.

When I opened my eyes, my mom asked me if I'd go to school and talked about our financial status. I brushed off her statements since I was still sleepy that time. I finally woke up from my senses and realized that it's already late in the morning, 8:30 am to be exact. I hurried up, checked my twitter, ate breakfast and so on. I realized that I still hadn't prayed and read the Bible. I am by the way a Christian. And so I prayed and read the Bible and that took me almost two hours. Then I went to my laptop and realized that:
-unfinished paper
-CHEM 160.1 lab reports
-It's already late and I had to be in the school at that time.

And so let's click the fast forward button and I found myself contemplating about the paper, chatting a few people including someone who said things that broke my heart, and starving (no lunch). It was 11:00 am.

I finished the paper, without giving my best at around3:30 pm, still starving, and filthy. Wa pakoy ligo at that time.I then realized that I was very, very unproductive. I wasn't able to do the things that I should do, first. The sadder thing was, I wasn't able to overcome this. This was one of my problems this semester that's why I did not get very good grades. Emotions, oh but I hate emotions. My classmates were already contacting me, since our teacher asked for my presence. Some were tweeting about subjects and I was nervous since I was not still settled with that subject. Fear consumed, anxiety, and so on.

But then again, the throne of grace never fails. I went to a place and decided to unload everything to Him - the unworthiness, the despair, the regrets, the hatred, the hurts, and the worries. Crying out to Him was not enough, it was also being humble before Him that made me free from the said negativities. Praying is purging. After I prayed, it was as if I'd been set free from captivity after a long time. O His sweet grace, mercy, love.

Perhaps, we are allowed to regret. Yet, after we regret, we learn something. Things happen for a reason. We commit mistakes but it is more important to learn and change. I learned that it takes humility to say no. You cannot keep on saying yes to things and end up regretting. Regretting will do you more harm than good. Last thing, decision - it breaks hearts, it builds up, it restores, it can heal, everything. Our decision determines our own condition or the people around us. It's always best to not just think before we decide, but pray. Is the door that is wide open opened by God or by you? REMINDER:

There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

-Proverbs 14:12

Purging

"..to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit "

-2 Thessalonians 2:13

Speechless.

Doggone

I miss playing with him. Nope, he's not dead. I'm just busy. 

Of emphasis

Column: Science and religion aren't friends

By Jerry A. Coyne

Religion in America is on the defensive. [ =( ]

Atheist books such as The God Delusionand The End of Faith have, by exposing the dangers of faith and the lack of evidence for the God of Abraham, become best-sellers. Science nibbles at religion from the other end, relentlessly consuming divine explanations and replacing them with material ones. Evolution took a huge bite a while back, and recent work on the brain has shown no evidence for souls, spirits, or any part of our personality or behavior distinct from the lump of jelly in our head. We now know that the universe did not require a creator. Science is even studying the origin of morality. So religious claims retreat into the ever-shrinking gaps not yet filled by science. And, although to be an atheist in America is still to be an outcast, America's fastest-growing brand of belief is non-belief. [ =( ]

But faith will not go gentle. For each book by a "New Atheist," there are many others attacking the "movement" and demonizing atheists as arrogant, theologically ignorant, and strident. The biggest area of religious push-back involves science. Rather than being enemies, or even competitors, the argument goes, science and religion are completely compatible friends, each devoted to finding its own species of truth while yearning for a mutually improving dialogue.

As a scientist and a former believer, I see this as bunk. Science and faith are fundamentally incompatible, and for precisely the same reason that irrationality and rationality are incompatible. They are different forms of inquiry, with only one, science, equipped to find real truth. And while they may have a dialogue, it's not a constructive one. Science helps religion only by disproving its claims, while religion has nothing to add to science.

Irreconcilable

"But surely," you might argue, "science and religion must be compatible. After all, some scientists are religious." One is Francis Collins, head of the National Institutes of Health and an evangelical Christian. But the existence of religious scientists, or religious people who accept science, doesn't prove that the two areas are compatible. It shows only that people can hold two conflicting notions in their heads at the same time. If that meant compatibility, we could make a good case, based on the commonness of marital infidelity, that monogamy and adultery are perfectly compatible. No, the incompatibility between science and faith is more fundamental: Their ways of understanding the universe are irreconcilable.

Science operates by using evidence and reason. Doubt is prized, authority rejected. No finding is deemed "true" — a notion that's always provisional — unless it's repeated and verified by others. We scientists are always asking ourselves, "How can I find out whether I'm wrong?" I can think of dozens of potential observations, for instance — one is a billion-year-old ape fossil — that would convince me that evolution didn't happen.

Physicist Richard Feynman observed that the methods of science help us distinguish real truth from what we only want to be true: "The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool."

Science can, of course, be wrong. Continental drift, for example, was laughed off for years. But in the end the method is justified by its success. Without science, we'd all live short, miserable and disease-ridden lives, without the amenities of medicine or technology. As Stephen Hawking proclaimed, science wins because it works.

Does religion work? It brings some of us solace, impels some to do good (and others to fly planes into buildings), and buttresses the same moral truths embraced by atheists, but does it help us better understand our world or our universe? Hardly. [ =( ] Note that almost all religions make specific claims about the world involving matters such as the existence of miracles, answered prayers wonder-working saints and divine cures, virgin births, annunciations and resurrections. These factual claims, whose truth is a bedrock of belief, bring religion within the realm of scientific study. But rather than relying on reason and evidence to support them, faith relies on revelation, dogma and authority. Hebrews 11:1 states, with complete accuracy, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Indeed, a doubting-Thomas demand for evidence is often considered rude.

And this leads to the biggest problem with religious "truth": There's no way of knowing whether it's true. I've never met a Christian, for instance, who has been able to tell me what observations about the universe would make him abandon his beliefs in God and Jesus. (I would have thought that the Holocaust could do it, but apparently not.) There is no horror, no amount of evil in the world, that a true believer can't rationalize as consistent with a loving God. It's the ultimate way of fooling yourself. But how can you be sure you're right if you can't tell whether you're wrong?

The religious approach to understanding inevitably results in different faiths holding incompatible "truths" about the world. Many Christians believe that if you don't accept Jesus as savior, you'll burn in hell for eternity. Muslims hold the exact opposite: Those who see Jesus as God's son are the ones who will roast. Jews see Jesus as a prophet, but not the messiah. Which belief, if any, is right? Because there's no way to decide, religions have duked it out for centuries, spawning humanity's miserable history of religious warfare and persecution.

In contrast, scientists don't kill each other over matters such as continental drift. We have better ways to settle our differences. There is no Catholic science, no Hindu science, no Muslim science — just science, a multicultural search for truth. The difference between science and faith, then, can be summed up simply: In religion faith is a virtue; in science it's a vice.

But don't just take my word for the incompatibility of science and faith — it's amply demonstrated by the high rate of atheism among scientists. While only 6% of Americans are atheists or agnostics, the figure for American scientists is 64%, according to Rice professor Elaine Howard Ecklund's book, Science vs. Religion. Further proof: Among countries of the world, there is a strong negative relationship between their religiosity and their acceptance of evolution. Countries like Denmark and Sweden, with low belief in God, have high acceptance of evolution, while religious countries are evolution-intolerant. Out of 34 countries surveyed in a study published inScience magazine, the U.S., among the most religious, is at the bottom in accepting Darwinism: We're No. 33, with only Turkey below us. Finally, in a 2006 Time poll a staggering 64% of Americans declared that if science disproved one of their religious beliefs, they'd reject that science in favor of their faith.

'Venerable superstition'

In the end, science is no more compatible with religion than with other superstitions, such as leprechauns. Yet we don't talk about reconciling science with leprechauns. We worry about religion simply because it's the most venerable superstition — and the most politically and financially powerful.

Why does this matter? Because pretending that faith and science are equally valid ways of finding truth not only weakens our concept of truth, it also gives religion an undeserved authority that does the world no good. For it is faith's certainty that it has a grasp on truth, combined with its inability to actually find it, that produces things such as the oppression of women and gays, opposition to stem cell research and euthanasia, attacks on science, denial of contraception for birth control and AIDS prevention, sexual repression, and of course all those wars, suicide bombings and religious persecutions.

And any progress — not just scientific progress — is easier when we're not yoked to religious dogma. Of course, using reason and evidence won't magically make us all agree, but how much clearer our spectacles would be without the fog of superstition!

Jerry A. Coyne is a professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolution at The University of Chicago. His latest book is Why Evolution is True, and his website is www.whyevolutionistrue.com.

Willing spirit yet Weak flesh.

Dr. Welthy E. Villanueva, M.D.

Sa kabila ng kanyang stage 4 breast cancer, hindi nagpapigil si Dr. Winky na ipagpatuloy ang kanyang misyon sa mga kabundukan bilang isang manggagamot at sa kalaunan ay naging tagapagdala na din ng edukasyon para sa mga batang katutubo na salat sa karunungan. Sa kanyang pakikitungo sa mga katutubo, isinuong niya ang kanyang sarili sa panganib maging sa mga nagaantabay na dagdag na karamdaman gaya ng pneumonia at malaria. Subalit ang mga ito ay di naging balakid sa kanya. Hindi rin nito nagawang igupo ang kanyang katawan na ipagpapatuloy ang nasimulan.

Kasama ng ilang mga kakilala, umaakyat sila ng bundok at tumatawid ng 16-30 ilog marating lamang ang mga lilib na tribo ng Batak. Sa una’y ang hangad lamang niya na maipaaabot ang medikal na serbisyo subalit nahabag ang kanyang puso sa lantarang panloloko sa mga katutubo ng mga taga-patag kung saan ang kanilang lupain ay naipagbibili sa mga ito kapalit ng isang radyo lamang. Dito umusbong ang kanyang pagnanais na magdala ng mga boluntaryong guro upang maturuan ang mga bata ng basic education. Sa una’y inakala nilang magiging maayos ang daloy ng klase sa mga bata subalit napuna nilang nahihirapang unawain ng mga ito ang leksiyon dala ng gutom. Kaya naman sinabayan din niya ito ng feeding program katulong ang mga boluntaryong guro bago magsimula ang klase.

Sa di kalaunan, nabuo niya ang Heavens’ Eyes Tribal Missions na ang layunin ay makapagbigay ng edukasyon at maipamulat ang maayos na pamumuhay at kalusugan para sa komunidad ng mga katutubo sa Batak. Nakikipag-ugnayan siya sa mga tribal communities, GOs at NGOs para maisakatuparan ang mga adhikain nito. Ang ilan sa mga pondo ayon kay Dr. Winky ay kadalasan bigay lamang mula sa mga kaibigan at kakilala. Mula sa programang ito, may ilan na din nakapagtapos ng sekondarya mula sa School of Tomorrow Accelerated Christian Education Curriculum nito. Sa taong ito ay malapit na din mairehistro sa SEC ang Heavens’ Eyes Tribal Missions at si Dr. Winky ang tumatayong Administrator at Direktor.

Sumusuka at nanghihina ng labis si Dr. Winky mismo sa kuta ng mga katutubo subalit ni hindi ito naringgan ng ano man reklamo at bagkus ay patuloy pa din na nagserserbisyo.

 Her humility melts my heart. Despite the pain and her weaknesses, she still serves. As for me, whenever I feel tired or something, I lose my servant heart. She is indeed a great reminder to everyone; our weaknesses should always be the source of our strength.

Being nominated is already a big deal. Yet, for those who are blessed with her life, please ENCOURAGE her:
http://bayaningpilipino.abs-cbnnews.com/peopleschoice

A Thankful Heart

We have a lot of reasons to be thankful, and sometimes, it requires time, wisdom, and a change of mind. After praying yesterday, I've realized that God has been so gracious in my life. The people that He has entrusted to me are blessings, answered prayers. I totally don't deserve them - if I have to look at my efforts in reaching out to them before they came into my life, I'd flunk the subject. Yet He, who is always good, entrusted these people to me. One thing I lacked, I forgot to thank Him completely. I realized that the complete gratitude that we can offer God is not our words, but our attitude, on how we respond to the blessings. As a sign of gratitude, I should love them more, serve them more, more and more.

What kind of receiver are you?

"You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it."

-Matthew 21:22 (NLT)

We pray whenever we need something. Some of us agonize in prayer, some offer their tears and some pray unceasingly just to make God answer their prayers. But granted that the prayer was answered by God, since God is so willing to bless us (read the Bible), what will be your reaction to it? 

In reality, the measure of one's heart and attitude is not only through testings or trials, but even in successes and answered prayers. When God grants our requests, some, or sadly, most of us have reactions that depict the selfishness of our very hearts. That even includes me. And some of us, after receiving God's blessing, forget to thank God.

1. It's because I prayed.

True that when we pray, miracles will happen. Changes will happen. Problems will be solved. Requests will be granted. But that is because God is so good, and that He has wonderful plans for us. His will is good, perfect, and pleasing. Our righteousness doesn't change God; our righteousness comes from our faith in Christ Jesus. Daniel 9:18, We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. It's not about you praying, it's about goodness. God grants because He is merciful, gracious, loving, and willing to bless His people. Sometimes, we don't have to really defend our cause to God. It is by simply admitting our weakness and focusing on God's power that we fully exercise our ability to pray and commune with God. We pray because we are humble, that we believe in God, that we worship and offer Him our praises. 

Perhaps it is good to boast the fact that we are praying. Perhaps, prayerful people are better than those who do not pray. But the point is it is always about God. And He knows no favoritism.

2. No thanks.

Apostle Paul said to the Colossians that they should devote themselves into prayer, being watchful and thankful. God deserves praises on answered prayers. And even on unanswered prayers, still God is worthy to be praised because of His great mercy. Remember that His will is perfect for His people; He never plans for us to be harmed. Thus, inability to thank God means selfishness. Sometimes we are so consumed with our joy that we tend to forget about His blessings. Are there things in your life that you can consider as blessings from God that you did not thank of?

3. Out of Focus.

Gifts come in various forms - size, shape, quantity, quality, etcetera. A child who wants a cake for his birthday may receive a cup cake instead due to health issues. Yet most of us tend to focus on our expectations so much that we neglect the blessing that is in other form. Case in point: finances. When God does not answer our prayers regarding our finances, we grumble and complain immediately. But don't you think that God is still worthy to be praised since we are still healthy, still able to earn money? Paradigm shift is the key, parekoi.

Now, praying without faith is merely self-talk. And when we do this, there's a greater chance that we'll lose our focus in God and instead boast in ourselves. And, whether our prayer is granted or not (perhaps it will take time, tomorrow, the next day, next month or year, or decades), we should always give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

1 Thessalonians 5:17

New International Version (©1984)
pray continually;

New Living Translation (©2007)
Never stop praying.
English Standard Version (©2001)
pray without ceasing,
New American Standard Bible (©1995)
pray without ceasing;
International Standard Version (©2008)
Continually be prayerful.
GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Never stop praying.
King James Bible
Pray without ceasing.
American King James Version
Pray without ceasing.
American Standard Version
pray without ceasing;
Bible in Basic English
Keep on with your prayers.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Pray without ceasing.
Darby Bible Translation
pray unceasingly;
English Revised Version
pray without ceasing;
Webster's Bible Translation
Pray without ceasing.
Weymouth New Testament
Be unceasing in prayer.
World English Bible
Pray without ceasing.
Young's Literal Translation
continually pray ye;

The Task of a Leader

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone."

-1 Thessalonians 5:11, 14-15

Every person is a leader; every person has the capacity to influence others. Some may not have the "qualities" of a leader: outspoken, confident, wise. But I'll tell you the truth: the moment that you have influenced a person to buy a food or sit or not to commit suicide, or not to study, or do something, then you're already a leader. Why am I telling this? Because leadership is basically influence, and thus, everyone is a leader.

But leadership aside, whether you are a pastor, a youth pastor, a student leader, a parent, a gang leader, or the president of any organization, we should remember and live the verses above.

1.Encourage one another.

A lot of people love to encourage other people: Oprah, Sharon, Willie Revillame, etcetra. But in reality, there are also people who love to discourage other people. Was there a point in your life that you were so discouraged or sad that you influenced a person to be sad too? To encourage is to give courage to those who are weak or full of fears. To encourage is to bring life, not sadness, not despair, not even pain.

2.Build each other up.

You cannot build without foundation. If you want to build a person up, you must know the very foundation that the person needs. For example, Christians, to build them up, must be deeply rooted to Christ, not to anyone, not to anyone principles or philosophies. Biologists are founded on biology. The roots must always be identified. A relationship won't last without proper foundations.

And when we build people up, it means strengthening them. You don't strengthen people not just in one aspect, but in all. When you strengthen a person in one aspect only, that person will lose balance, and later on will fall. Just imagine a building being built up on one side only. Do you think that building is lovely to look at? Or will it be able to withstand earthquakes, strong winds, etc?

3. Warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

This is the most difficult part of being a leader. If I were to sum the words up, I'd write the word: patience. Leaders should be patient with people. When you know that a person is timid, encourage him patiently. You cannot let durian bear fruits immediately; some would take time. You must tend to its needs, etcetera.

But why do people hurry? Because they forget about their objectives and focus on the current process. They lose focus on their vision and instead focus on the things that are currently happening around them.

When we warn, we warn patiently. We encourage patiently. We help patiently. There is such a thing called individual differences; you can google it if you like.

And if we think that these things are impossible, then try thinking about Jesus a Friend, Savior, Lover, Leader, Pastor, etcetera):

⁶Who, being in very nature^[a] God,

      did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

 ⁷but made himself nothing,

      taking the very nature^[b] of a servant,

      being made in human likeness.

 -Philippians 2:6-7

If you think you are a friend, then try to be like Jesus. If you believe that you're called to be a leader or pastor, then try Jesus.

Singapore

 Figure 1. Speaking Hammers Generation - Me, Lolo Butch, Tatay Ken [I like this pic.]

It's funny that I still have time to write about these things.
I have three majors papers due tomorrow and an exam.
It's just that I miss my Blk 689a Choa Chu Kang Drive days - I had a great time indeed.

  Figure 2. 689

I miss the conference -  the times that you bend to your knees because of His overwhelming presence, or times that you see your tears flow endlessly because of conviction, or joy, or passion.

 Figure 3. G12 Conference

I miss the times that we'd have to run as fast as we could so that we'd be able to ride the train from Yew Tee Station, to Jurong East, then to Tanah Merah, and where we would "alight", Expo.

 Figure 4. SMRT

I miss the indispensable smell of the people there.
I miss the Asia Food Expo.

Figure 5. Asia Food Expo

I just miss that moment that you have nothing to think about.
But now, I am facing the reality - to many things to do for a young boy like me.
But then again, I chose this path.
No turning back.
I must keep moving forward and be exposed to things so that I'd understand more about Him, His grace, His love, His mercy.
After all the conference and everything, what have I become?
I am about to find it out soon.

Explosion plus acceleration.

 Figure 6. Dear Diary mode

Maling Akala.

Akala mo ba kaw lang ang may ka-date ngayong February 14?

Nasa Atrium kami. 
Mga babae sila, ako nama'y lalaki. 
Kami'y nakaupo sa sahig habang ang mga langgam ay nag-eenjoy sa mala-porselanang skin namin.
Nagkukwentuhan, nagtatawanan.
Biglang naging erratic ang heartbeat ko,
tinanong ako ng kasama kong babae,
"Kamusta?"
Alam kong hindi ako okay.
Hindi ako okay.
Hindi ako okay, okay?
Akala nila matapang ako.
Akala nila magaling ako.
Akala nila single pa ako.
Akala nila wala akong ka-date ngayong February 14.
Tama nga sila, matapang, magaling, at single pa ako.
Pero mali ang iniisip nila na wala akong ka-date ngayong February 14.
Dahil meron.
Meron.
Meron.
And superdupermegaover excited ako, pati na rin ang puso ko
Gusto ko ng maging okay, okay?

1 Corinthians 3:16

"Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?"

Updates - Photos

NOTHING BUT PHOTOS.

You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat.

- Romans 14:10

Break the barrier.

Just because you see people doing the same foolish thing, it doesn't mean that you have to follow.

Today, I learned to break the barrier. Barrier, according to the dictionary, is any condition that makes it difficult to make progress or to achieve an objective. This can pertain to different things, such as fear, et al., which we usually encounter when we have a certain goal or dream. Why is breaking the barrier important? Allow me to have a case in point.

Romans 5:19 (New International Version)

¹⁹For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

If we want the people around us to be righteous, just as we claim ourselves, we have to display the right attitude and actions, which we want others to follow. If we don't want the people to be corrupt, then, logically, we have to show the people how a person that is not corrupt works. Even in small things or actions, we have to let everyone, the conscious or the unconscious people, know our advocacy through actions.

Perhaps sometimes, fear, or the like, hinders us from doing such good things. But we should stand firm and break the barrier that hinders us from achieving our goal. We have to break that mindset (barrier) that small acts of kindness won't help in achieving peace in this world. We have to break our fears and express our sincerest emotions. Stop being a copycat. The Creator gave you your mind for you to be able to think and make decisions on your own, decisions which are subject to circumstances or approval. But now's time to break those barriers. Now's the time to stand on your own feet.

Remember this:

For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others. -N. Mandela 

You fight for freedom and democracy and want it, yet, you abuse it. Don't be a barrier. 

Fast lane.

Romans 2:21-24 (New International Version)

²¹you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? ²²You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? ²³You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? ²⁴As it is written: "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."

 A fast entry: Let us be true to our words, and actions. Bantay-bantay, as in watch out-watch out.

By the way, I now have my planner. Can't upload the pics from my phone right now, I forgot my USB cord.

It was character that got us out of bed, COMMITMENT that moved us into action, and discipline that enabled us to follow through. - Zig Ziglar

Security.

"It's not enough to finish the race yourself. To be successful, you must take somebody with you across the finish line." - John Maxwell

The saddest thing perhaps is winning alone.

No, I am not writing these things because I won something. I just realized, some of us are so obsessed to get a trophy that we often neglect the people around us. We neglect the relationships, which actually helped us reach the place where we're standing right now. It's good to envision something, to envision success. But when we become so focused in achieving this, our environment then becomes so obscure that we develop our own "blindspots". After a time and after regaining consciousness, the world has actually turned away from you. The key here? Don't put much trust in yourself, egotistical creature. Slow down and find a good company.

But hey, to whom do you share your success with? Your failures? Your hopes? Your dreams? Winning alone is indeed the saddest thing. People may leave you, because of their eagerness to finish the race first. Or because of mere jealousy. But He is just up there, waiting for you. He is there, willing to run with you. In Him is the only place that is secure. He doesn't need a perfect person. He needs someone, someone like you.

 ⁷ But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

 - 1 Samuel 16:7

Cold and Foggy Afternoon

After our exam in FST 147 - Principles of Product and Process Development, we noticed that the ground in front our college, CSM, was covered with fog. Everyone then shouted "Korea", all dreaming that we're in Korea and experiencing the "foggy feeling" and the when-you-speak-the-fog-comes-out-from-your-mouth-feeling. We took some evidences, thinking also that we'd capture some orbs around. Unfortunately, we were not able to find one.

We made our way to the Admin building by means of walking, and even the Kanluran road was filled with fog. We even heard someone talking, "Fog siya pero baho'g aso." (It's really fog, but it smells like smoke.) When we reached the Admin building, Carla and I waited for our cell members to come, while my other classmates went ahead to the C5 building to prepare for their Navigators Nite. Sadly, they were not able to come since they had to do something, so we decided to attend the Nav Nite. It was a good decision, I must say, since it made me go back to this verse:

2 Corinthians 5:17 (New International Version)

¹⁷Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Where did I meet this verse? Encounter. Ooh, my mind was gradually filled with the memories that I had during the retreat. I am a new creation. I am a new creation. And I think that I should implant that verse on all corners of my brain. I always commit mistakes, sins, etc even if I have already encountered God. But you know what? Thanks to my daily reading of the Bible, God told me this:

1 Samuel 12:20 (New International Version)

 ²⁰ "Do not be afraid," Samuel replied. "You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.

Most of us, after committing sins, rather that confessing and repenting, we hide ourselves from Him. Some of of us don't want to commit their lives to Him thinking that committing sin is inevitable. Yes, it's inevitable, but hey, should we allow this fact to stop us? This is where our faith should come in. Despite everything, everything, every difficult circumstance, we move forward. We know that God is beside us if we repent and confess our sins. It's inevitable but the God's love is unfailing. Remember the word unfailing.

As for me, aside from the verses above, I wouldn't want to forget this verse:

Acts 20:24 (New International Version)

²⁴However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.

P.S. Stick to people who can increase your faith. Thanks friends, thanks Super Hammers, thanks BCC family, thank you.

Reposted: How to Commit Social Suicide Online and "Foursquare"

Whew, time really flies fast! Just when millions of people have converted, i.e. Friendster to Facebok, now, the world has invented a way to terminate your social networking-madness. Link is available!

How to Commit Social Suicide Online

By Sophia Yan

Need to disappear from Facebook or Twitter? Now you can scrub yourself from the Internet with the Web. 2.0 Suicide Machine, a nifty online application that purges your online presence from these all-consuming social networks. Since its Dec. 19 launch, the Suicide Machine has assisted nearly 900 virtual deaths, severing more than 61,300 friendships on Facebook and removing some 233,400 tweets from Twitter.

Once you hand over your log-in details and click "commit," the program will delete each bit of info one-by-one — Twitter tweets, MySpace contacts, Facebook friends, LinkedIn Connections — much like users could do manually. What remains is a brittle cyber-skeleton: a profile with no data. Users seem to love it. Testimonials range from joyous farewells ("Good bye, cruel world!") to good-riddance denouements ("Thank you microblogging. You are, in fact, totally useless"). The Suicide Machine is so popular that thousands are "waiting in line" for their cyber-offing. "Our server is so busy handling the requests," says co-creator Walter Langelaar.

But be warned: as in life, resurrection is impossible. After you "commit," your web doppelganger croaks for good. When it does, you'll receive a cyber-memorial on the site. RIP, 2.0. We'll miss you.

What appeals to many of the site's boosters is the simplicity of the exit. When trying to close an online a

ccount, users are often asked to fill out a questionnaire. More importantly, your information and connections aren't erased; they're just unpublished. By deleting all your data, the site argues, your private information is also snuffed out on website servers.

Not everyone thinks the proposition is so cool. The uptick in social suicides has put Facebook in a tizzy. In an email to the Suicide Machine's founders, Facebook demanded "you cease this activity immediately," citing a violation of users' privacy. The Suicide Machine's founders — Langelaar, 32, Gordan Savicic, 30 and Danya Vasiliev, 31 — disagree, arguing users voluntarily hand over their log-in details. Though Facebook blocked the Suicide Machine from accessing the site earlier this month, the Machine's creators, and suicides are continuing. "Compared to the more than 350 million users [on Facebook], we think deleting a few hundred is not very impressive," says Langelaar. "But they picked up on it as a potential threat." LinkedIn, MySpace and Twitter have not yet publicly responded.

Langelaar, who is based in Rotterdam, and Vasiliev, who works in Berlin, first met in 2002 during their undergraduate studies. The pair met Savicic while in art school in the Netherlands in 2007. They describe their work as "geek chic." The Suicide Machine isn't the first collaborative new media project for the trio, who also operate media lab Moddr and are members of the Rotterdam-based artist collective Worm. Inspiration for the Web 2.0-suicide idea took root when Worm threw a 2008 New Year's Eve party themed "Web 2.0 Suicide Night." Recalls Langelaar: "The idea was that everybody would be nice and analog."

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1954631,00.html#ixzz0d3KlFmSK

And talk about social-networking madness, there's a new thing that I'll guess hit the Philippines sometime maybe after 48 years. Foursquare.com! 

Foursquare's Twist on Facebook: A Reward for Checking In

By Dan Fletcher

Tweeting was the breakout Web term for 2009. The early favorite for 2010? Checking in.

That's the basis of Foursquare, the gorilla in a new wave of location-based social-networking sites. While sites like Facebook and Twitter are interested in what you're doing, Foursquare is more interested in where you're doing it — and using different ways to reward you for checking in.

Launched in March, Foursquare turns city maps into game boards. Members use text messages or applications for iPhones or Android phones to post when they are at a location like a bar or a restaurant. As incentive to share, your current location shows up on the Foursquare map to help you meet up with friends. Check in enough times from a coffee shop, for example, and you're dubbed its mayor. Give a shout-out from your gym 10 times in a month, and you might get a badge that dubs you a "Gym Rat." That gaming component is the site's secret sauce — one that pushed it past 150,000 users before the end of 2009.

Co-founder Dennis Crowley says Foursquare counts on users' becoming protective of their little territories. Foursquare is birthed from Crowley's previous effort, a now defunct site called Dodgeball that was bought by Google in 2005 but stuggled to expand beyond a few thousand users. Dodgeball had the map part but lacked the game, and when Crowley left Google in 2007, he tried to figure out how to make his next effort more fun. "Once we started resurrecting Dodgeball, we thought adding game mechanics might make it something really interesting," Crowley says. "And it really took off and became sticky with a lot of users.

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1952980,00.html#ixzz0d3NTsjCA

After what's been written above, I guess the new way to spell technology is f-a-s-t. I wonder how's  everything gonna be after 5 years. Superb, but exciting. =]

Out of Stifled Annoyance

1 Samuel 4:6-8

Hearing the uproar, the Philistines asked, "What's all this shouting in the Hebrew camp?" When they learned that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp, ⁷ the Philistines were afraid. "A god has come into the camp," they said. "We're in trouble! Nothing like this has happened before. ⁸ Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? They are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the desert.

These people are afraid of what you're carrying. If you become afraid of them  (unknowingly, you're both afraid of each other), then you'll end up losing them.

Remember a magnet.

You know that negative poles don't attract each other. They repel. How can you "pull" that person to His kingdom if you have the same "charge" with that person? Be positive so that you'll be able to attract negative ones.You're blessed if that person already has that desire to be with Him.

Remember polarity. 

Like dissolves like; polar substances dissolve polar substances.With human strength, it may be easy to win them but both negligence and complacency are still not an option.

To everyone who believes, be bold. For in boldness will we be able to become resistant strains. Even their gods bow to our God, 1 Samuel 5:4 "But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained." Be strong. Do not be afraid.

I remembered this, "Maayo na lang ng Diosnon kesa sa Demonyohon."

Bato-bato sa langit ang tamaan mag-repent.

Protect yourself. Get a Bible and read a chapter daily.

Blogger plus Messages to some of my friends. Check mo if kasali ka.

Done refurbishing my blogger site! Whew.  Check it out.

Anyhow, sa mga Facebook friends (since gi-synch nako akong FB and Blogger long time ago):

Ate Bek, 6,467.00 sa amo ni Tatay.

Kuya Butch, unsa jud specifically akong i-search atong vid regarding transformation? Taas man diay ang tong kay Miles Monroe na vid. Hehe.

Ya Tads, Tay Ken, and Ya Arnie, di nako mabasa inyong notes.

Janie vieve, Charm, and Carla, and lain tao na nag-grad sa SOL2 and Post-Enc kanina, congrats. =]

FoodTech a.k.a. Theta-Phi, i-update pud ko ninyo sa everything pag makita ta sa real life situtations. Haha. Ayaw pud mo ug post ug data sa FB kay unfair.

Sa mga naay photos nako, please ayaw i-upload tong pangit ko. Haha.

Justin Beltran, to my cell members, and to my other friends, if sa FB ko nimo/ninyo gina-contact, di ko mag-access sa FB. Pero tuloy gihapon atong open cell (yey!) every Wed. =]

Everyone, you can reach me through my site. You can post your comments there even if di kayo members.

Follow my other accounts (e.g. Twitter, Plurk, Multiply, etc), especially this site. God be with you. =]  

8 Things A Good Man Should Do/Be.

January 16, 2009

 

For a thousand times, I have heard of comments from rejected girls, those who suffered from poor relationships, and other sad stories, that good and nice men no longer exist in this world. After hearing these comments, I always cease my egotistical side that wants to defend man's race to avoid further misconception. I would not deny the fact that there exists bad and nasty men who ruin manhood since I know also many guys who are, still, naturally bad and nasty. But generally, I would beg to disagree with these girls since I know many guys who are naturally good and nice. One of them is Boaz.

"Boaz was a very wealthy man who lived in Bethlehem. When Naomi returned to Bethlehem with her widowed daughter-in-law, Ruth, Ruth went into the fields of Boaz to glean. Boaz learned that Ruth's deceased husband was a distant relative of his. 

He acted kindly towards Ruth and instructed his farm workers to leave extra sheaves of barley for her to gather. Ruth had another relative of her late husband who was closer than Boaz.
 

By law, the other relative was obligated to marry Ruth, as stated in Deuteronomy 25:5-10. Boaz confronted the other relative with this law, and after the relative refused to marry Ruth, Boaz agreed to marry Ruth, and to buy the estate of Ruth's deceased husband.
 

After they got married, Ruth had a son named Obed, who became the father of Jesse, who became the father of David. Boaz and Ruth became the great-grandparents of King David.
 

Boaz means "strength." The story of Boaz is found in the Book of Ruth."

Though Boaz is already a nonexistent in this world, men, in this generation, should be like Boaz. Beforehand, I was so focused on Ruth's character that I neglected the essence of Boaz' character. But God revealed to me more than what I asked for. I've outlined below the revelations that I received after reading the three chapters (not only for men but also for women):

1. Don't give false hopes, especially to women. Know your limitations. Protect the women.

 Ruth 3:12-13

"¹² Although it is true that I am a family guardian, there is another who is more closely related than I. ¹³ Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your family guardian, good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the LORD lives I will do it. Lie here until morning."

We give false hopes. We lie just to let the people around us feel okay. But when the moment comes that they claim our promises to them, we avoid them. Or, even if we can't provide the thing we've promised to the people around us, still we commit. This is a clear premise of giving of false hopes. Stories end up that those people become hurt. This is not a character of a good man.

When Boaz said the statement above, he was sure of everything. He was sure of his words. He did not say these things just to uplift the soul of Ruth, but because he was sure that he'd fulfill his words. He also knew his limitations. He was honest to Ruth that he couldn't accept Ruth immediately because of certain technical reasons. If you read the three chapters, you would notice that Boaz was really concerned with Ruth's welfare. He protected Ruth from hurt.

 

2. Don't be predator. Don't expect someone to stumble.

Ruth 2:15-16

"¹⁵ As she got up to glean, Boaz gave orders to his men, "Let her gather among the sheaves and don't reprimand her. ¹⁶ Even pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don't rebuke her."

When we know that a person is weak in a certain field, yet that person tries to overcome this weakness, we, on the other hand, expect that person to fail. Instead of encouraging that person or helping him or her, just like what Boaz did to Ruth, we are like predators, preying on someone. Instead of helping that person build his or her good character, we put snares on his or her path. A good man, logically, helps other people to be good.

3. Be patient.

Ruth 3:18

¹⁸ Then Naomi said, "Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today."

Boaz patiently settled the affairs, though it would be strenuous and would take a long time. Most of us, instead of focusing on our objectives, i.e. help other people, we end up stopping and turning our backs after encountering difficulties. Impatience is not a character of a good man, for a food only becomes good after being heated on a long but proper time.

4. Be kind and helpful to everyone.

Ruth 2:14

¹⁴ At mealtime Boaz said to her, "Come over here. Have some bread and dip it in the wine vinegar." 

Boaz knew that Ruth was tired and already hungry. According to Mark Twain, “Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the and the blind can see”. Kindness is always heartfelt and knows no person, no boundary, and no fault. It should be given to everyone, whether to your enemy or to your friend. This the true kindness that a good man bears or does. Kindness is not even a response to what your physical eyes have seen, but what your heart wants to do.

5. Don't care about your reputation or social status. Be selfless.

Ruth 4:6

  ⁶ At this, the family guardian said, "Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it."

Firefighters are selfless persons. We should be proud that there are still existing firefighters in the world, willing to risk their lives just to save someone. The family guardian above, on the other hand, is nothing but a selfish person. He was obsessed with his status that instead of helping his own relative, he felt that his status was endangered and thus neglecting the needs of his relative. Sometimes, we do the same thing that the family guardian did. We are like him. We are so afraid to lose something, we are so afraid to feel hurt, we are so afraid to be in shame, that we neglect the urgent needs of our loved ones or even the welfare of this nation. Wake up. If you consider yourself as good, then be selfless. If not, then go somewhere else and don't infect others.

6. Know God.

Ruth 3:13

"But if he is not willing, as surely as the LORD lives I will do it."

In this statement, it can be clearly perceived that Boaz knows God and that he considers God as his God. With God, you know that you need to move forward, be good in a situation, no matter how difficult it may seem. A good man, knows God, the root of goodness.

If you want to be good, then remove your sandal. Ruth 4:7 (Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions in Israel.). Let the old times of hurting other people, especially women be gone. See every woman as Ruth. Love them, take care of them, preserve them. To everyone, ladies and gentlemen, offer your life for a very good reason; seek eternity, seek Him.