MAIA HUSHES LOUDLY

ruminate and move

2007-11-01T16:45:00.000+04:00

Got a new blog in WordPress. I hate to say goodbye to Blogger since it has been a good companion when I needed one last year. So I decided to still keep it.

Sadly though, I cannot anymore maintain for it will become quite tedious in my part to scatter my thoughts on these three blogs if I will not give this and this up.

All right then, maybe it's indeed time to move on and improve continuously. I cannot forever be a schizo... harhar.

Anyway, before I sever the tie between me and my beloved Blogger, I'd like to post this beautiful article written by Pastor Rick Warren. Quite cool.

Don't date because you are desperate.

Don't marry because you are miserable.

Don't have kids because you think your genes are superior.

Don't philander because you think you are irresistible.

Don't associate with people you can't trust.

Don't cheat. Don't lie. Don't pretend.

Don't dictate because you are smarter.

Don't demand because you are stronger.

Don't sleep around because you think you are old enough & know better.

Don't hurt your kids because loving them is harder.

Don't sell yourself, your family, or your ideals.

Don't stagnate!

Don't regress.

Don't live in the past. Time can't bring anything or anyone back.

Don't put your life on hold for possibly Mr. Right.

Don't throw your life away on absolutely Mr. Wrong because your biological clock is ticking.

Learn a new skill.

Find a new friend.

Start a new career. Sometimes, there is no race to be won, only a price to be paid for some of life's more hasty decisions.

To terminate your loneliness, reach out to the homeless.

To feed your nurturing instincts, care for the needy.

To fulfill your parenting fantasies, get a puppy.

Don't bring another life into this world for all the wrong reasons.

To make yourself happy, pursue your passions & be the best of what you can be.

Simplify your life. Take away the clutter.

Get rid of destructive elements: abusive friends, nasty habits, and dangerous liaisons.

Don't abandon your responsibilities but don't overdose on duty.

Don't live life recklessly without thought and feeling for your family.

Be true to yourself. Don't commit when you are not ready.

Don't keep others waiting needlessly.

Go on that trip. Don't postpone it.

Say those words. Don't let the moment pass.

Do what you have to, even at society's scorn.

Write poetry.

Love Deeply.

Walk barefoot.

Dance with wild abandon.

Cry at the movies.

Take care of yourself. Don't wait for someone to take care of you.

You light up your life. You drive yourself to your destination.

No one completes you - except YOU.

It isn't true that life does not get easier with age.

It only gets more challenging.

Don't be afraid. Don't lose your capacity to love.

Pursue your passions.

Live your dreams.

Don't lose faith in God.

Don't grow old. Just grow YOU!

When you give someone your time, you are giving them a portion of your life that you'll never get back.

Your time is your life. That is why the greatest gift you can give to someone is your time.

Relationships take time and effort, and the best way to spell love is T-I-M-E because the essence of love is not what we think or do or provide for others,

But how much we give of ourselves

***

defiNinG bLoG

2007-09-25T13:48:00.000+04:00

a blog is

a snippet of your existence
a line that divides fantasy and realism
a trash bin of your frustration
a collection of memoirs of people inside you
a catalyst
a joyous journey through your mind
another window of your soul
an hour glass
a conscious dreaming
a picture
a word
gazillion conversations
a portal
a closed door

... a connection to yourself and to other people
... it is what it is depending on its content
... it is what it is how you write on it not how you make it seems to be

alienation vs. connectedness

2007-09-19T15:59:00.000+04:00

Nice is the Antidote to Office Politics

OP: Some people identify being good at office politics as being mean-spirited. Do you believe you can be nice and still be skilled at office politics? Can you conquer office politics by being nice?
Linda Kaplan Thaler: It may seem somewhat counterintuitive, but being nice can be the most effective tool for success when dealing with office politics. Fundamentally, office politics are typically used with the objective of trying to gain an advantage in the work environment.
While we all share this goal of striving to get ahead, instead of expending lots of negative energy
rushing to grab a slice of the pie for yourself, think about how you can broaden your horizons and bake a bigger pie so everyone gets a piece. When you bake a bigger pie, its the ultimate win-win situation. You get more of what you want and feel better about what you're doing and you create a new recipe for success.

for more office politics remedy...
please see
http://www.officepolitics.com/advice/?
p=85.

honestly speaking, i cannot relate to this post, not that it was badly worded where it's in fact has its own good points and very inspiring... but these two reasons hinder me as to identify with this scenario:

the first reason is that:

there's no politics of any sort that exists in our office basically because of the second reason...

most of them speak in Chinese language...

no matter how much I twist my mind to understand them in their daily conversation, I cannot ever decode the mystery of their communicative means - definitely not until I learn to speak in Chinese, talk Chinese, walk Chinese, breathe Chinese, sleep Chinese, write Chinese, joke Chinese...

with this, I came to a conclusion that I will remain an alien to this office and to this country, albeit my lifetime stay here...(which is the last thing I'll ever do)and that will save me from being doomed, I guess.

but think again, I'd rather be doomed and involved in healthy politicking (if there exist such euphoria) than be alienated!

just monologuizing...
.

e-book in internet... lovely

2007-09-16T17:37:00.000+04:00

Partly overwhelmed by Amazing Grace, but more of an amazed child who had just found the yummiest candy ever, I just want to share with you an interesting book regarding the accounts of Olaudah Equiano, a former African slave, who was one the most actively involved in the British debate for the abolition of the slave trade. This book entitled "The Interesting Narrative of Olaudah Equiano" (also known as Gustavus Vassa), is the author's autobiography exposing the horrors of slavery and was believed to be the earliest known example of published writing by an African writer.

Furthermore, the book was the first influential slave autobiography which ignited the anti-slavery movement in England.

Here's the link. I got mine in e-snips though. I'll write down my review once I finished reading the book.

I just love the internet with it's free e-book.

Indeed He's amazing

2007-09-15T14:50:00.000+04:00

She is a cancer patient; he was an eloquent politician who changed the world. She battles illness, fears, growing sickness and emotional pain of seeing her loved ones affected by her condition, while he fought against the opposition, made up speeches and strategies to abolish what was then the prevailing inhumane system of slave trade. She physically looks frail and very ill but her strength is double than mine. He was continuously discouraged by people and politics, and by the disapproval of the bill he passed, but those did not stop him to pursue justice and his lifetime crusade to free the African slaves.

She was Sister Jane. He was William Wilberforce. Both I have known yesterday and both created an impact in my life and in my faith.

Sister Jane is my church mate in FCCD (Filipino Christian Church of Dubai) and I already saw her before but was not given the chance to talk to her lengthily as she belongs to another cell group and ministry. Never did I took notice that she's quite thinner than among other women in our church. Her attendance dwindled and the church pastors often ask prayers for a certain 'sister Jane'. I did not know he is mentioning this jolly-eyed woman not until yesterday that sister Jane was requested to give a brief testimony for the Light Bearer's Ministry's afternoon fellowship. It was indeed brief, but every word struck me to my inner senses, every single detail astonishing, and each emphasis powerful. This woman has gone life's adversities, and is going through it everyday.

She went through an operation for her ovarian cancer and at the same time her family suffered a great deal of financial problem due to the cost of the operation. There's the possibility that she'll loss her job too. Albeit all these circumstances she voiced praises to the God who provided her the strength to go to church and testify before us that death has not scared her a bit and her life and strength is with God and most importantly, God is alive and in control. This kind of faith always swept me off my feet and makes me shed understanding tears of praises to a living God.

The second greatest person I was so blessed to get acquainted with was Mr. Wilber.
William Wilberforce (played with justice by Ioan Gruffudd) was a man of big heart, of faith so enormous and meaningful I feel as though I've been introduce to Christian faith the very first time. He gave faith a face I haven't known before.

His life is filmed in a movie entitled "Amazing Grace". Yes, it's the popular hymn originally written by John Newton, Wilberforce's, I conclude favorite, preacher. Later on, one more stanza was added to it in Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin. Addition to the lyrics was penned by John Rees.

The movie Amazing Grace centers on the life and anti-slavery campaigns of Wilberforce. He was indeed a talented public speaker of the House of Commons and one of the MP's (Members of the Parliament). Together with his lifetime friend, William Pitt 'the younger' (Benedict Cumberbatch) who also happened to be the Prime Minister of Great Britain, the youngest one ever, and the other co-antislavery trade such as Oloudaqh Equiano(Youssou N'Dour) a slave before himself, Thomas Clarkson (Rufus Sewell, "A Knight's Tale"), and Lord Charles Fox (Michael Gambon, Harry Potter's Dumbledore), they changed the history of Great Britain towards people's to enslave mindset.

Their victories haven’t come off so easy. They have to struggle and contend against many issues like those ship owners and other Members of the Parliament who were not so convinced on putting halt to slavery thus the bill Abolition of Slave Trade had not gathered so much sympathy. Praise God these guys were so creative I think marketing strategy's notion wasn't so popular until their strategies we're implemented to the public and to the other MP’s. They planned and stood steadfast on the sole purpose of their committee: to stop slave trade.

"In April 1791, Wilberforce introduced the first Parliamentary Bill to abolish the slave trade, which was easily defeated by 163 votes to 88. As Wilberforce continued to bring the issue of the slave trade before Parliament, Clarkson continued to travel and write. Between them, Clarkson and Wilberforce were responsible for generating and sustaining a national movement which mobilised public opinion as never before." (Wikipedia)

Everyone experiences at a certain point of his life when he/she was so down. Everything. Emotionally, physically, and morally. Everything seems to be in the verge of dying and one typically wallows in the hopelessness of the situation. This most of all happens when the one greatest motivation of your life seems to become a failure. Wilber was not an exception though. Famous and rich he was but his campaign was not winning and one of the members of the committee died. Everything seems to be falling in wrong places. His health deteriorated. His songs were lost to the abyss of ruination.

But what can be impossible to human terms can be possible to a living God! As one of the original lyrics of the song Amazing Grace says:

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call’d me here below,
Will be forever mine.

With this kind of faith Wilber still possesses and his long talk overnight with beautiful wife to be- Barbara- a believer of his cause, a grand twist of events took place. Wilber saw the light of hope once again and his strength was renewed by fresh events God is unfolding in his life.

Attempts to abolish the bill continued until its declaration roared a mighty approval from the Speaker of the House. Certainly, after years and years of the seemingly life-long saga, slavery in Britain was finished.

When people speak of great men, they think of men like Napoleon - men of violence. Rarely do they think of peaceful men. But contrast the reception they will receive when they return home from their battles. Napoleon will arrive in pomp and in power, a man who's achieved the very summit of earthly ambition. And yet his dreams will be haunted by the oppressions of war. William Wilberforce, however, will return to his family, lay his head on his pillow and remembers: the slave trade is no more.

---- Lord Charles Fox in Amazing Grace

"Amazing Grace"

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That sav’d a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev’d;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believ’d!

Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promis’d good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call’d me here below,
Will be forever mine.

John Newton, Olney Hymns (London: W. Oliver, 1779)

Written by John Newton - a ship captain of a transatlantic slave trade turn preacher...

beat the evil by having an MBA

2007-09-06T14:08:00.000+04:00

Most of the time, I’m like this. “This” refers to a thinking that I am made for bigger things, meant for beyond imagination purpose, and supposed to be in another place and in another time.

Am I not contented? Am I looking for excuses to escape my current situation? Am I really not following God’s will when I’m being like this?

Specifically, I am really contemplating on going to a graduate school pursuing an MBA in Marketing. I want to either study in London or in New York or in Canada perhaps, perfecting the craft that was given to me by God. I can feel that. I know I am above average. Not that it is only a selfish assumption boosting my ego but based on my past experiences, I know I can excel much more. I can enrich this God-given wisdom and intelligence for the expansion of God’s kingdom. Maybe after the MBA degree, I can be a real expert on Marketing and use this as a leeway for spreading the good news through different means. I mean, I’m actually talking about promoting Christianity in modern era using up to date medium. Isn’t it cool? And I’ll love to be an expert on that subject matter, equipped with unbeatable knowledge on how it is going to run.

The world out there is set in the race to be authorities on their worldly endeavors and they succeeded not because God gave them the gifts but because evil reigns and is trying to beat the children of God by promoting through different medium and various means subjects favored by the world. Let’s take for example films. I love films so much that some of them left a life changing mark on me. Film making and all the technical areas associated with it come from God. It should be used to bring back to God all the glory because all things came from Him. The artistic gifts, the technical machineries, the people… all these came from an Almighty God who wants to bring enjoyment on His creation through visual artistry. I just cannot harmonize the fact that these artistically gifted people go to extremes and make films that not only disproved of existence of God. Some would take gory and inhuman themes highlighting man’s ill nature. Why? Is this going to help people to appreciate their lives? Is it edifying? Inspiring? Will be able to help the needy? Uplift a weak soul out there? Pay homage to a one true God that created beautiful things? Beautiful soul? I don’t think so. Unless these artists have invented excuses to acquit themselves for “expressing” their “artistry”. Such a self-centered perspective of art. I can name more medium but the idea is all together the same. Misused of artistry for self-glory that highlight human’s cruelty and immoral desires.

I want some betterment to this type of society we face every single day. From music that we hear from our FM receiver/MP3 player/I-pod, to the largest billboard that hellos us each morning on the way to work or school, from the TV ads so materialistic and nothing but lies to the awesome novels which are sometimes less awesome nowadays because the antagonist has to be some sort of psycho killer who collects tooth from his myriad victims. I want to combat this kind of system. True, we cannot deny that there are heinous crimes committed by the most evil people in the world. And no one can ever negate that by showing only feel good movies or by promoting pacifism. But do some people really need to bombard the audience with cold blooded types of films, music and adverts? Not only cold blooded ones but erotic, carnal images that pollute and corrupt the minds of the people most especially the young ones. I remember what my professor in Argumentation and Debate once told us in her class, “There are indeed so many bad things that happened in our life, ugly sides that haunt us, but given this fact, do we really have to focus all our effort onto these bad areas of our lives? Instead of whining and complaining about all these, why don't we look at the good side of it?” Simple statements but remarkable. Mrs. Anabelle Kibanoff-Mercado is such a rare gem.

Anyway, my conclusion is, I still have to pray for these plans of mine. I don’t know if God will keep my life simpler than I thought learning from my life’s simplicity and complexity and those that surrounds me precious lessons that will help me to reach my goals . Or maybe God will provide grander events beyond my fantasies can ever grasp. Life clutters and complications aren’t always a sign of God’s blessing though. But then, think about it, I could it give it a shot. .

WoW!!!!Glory be to God!!!

2007-08-28T18:40:00.001+04:00

You know the Bible 100%!

Wow! You are awesome! You are a true Biblical scholar, not just a hearer but a personal reader! The books, the characters, the events, the verses - you know it all! You are fantastic!

Ultimate Bible Quiz
Create MySpace Quizzes

Neruda's Poetry

2007-08-28T10:16:00.000+04:00

Poetry

And it was at that age . . . poetry arrived
in search of me. I don't know, I don't know where
it came from, from winter or a river.
I don't know how or when,
no, they were not voices, they were not
words, not silence,
but from a street it called me,
from the branches of night,
abruptly from the others,
among raging fires
or returning alone,
there it was, without a face,
and it touched me.

I didn't know what to say, my mouth
had no way
with names,
my eyes were blind.
Something knocked in my soul,
fever or forgotten wings,
and I made my own way,
deciphering
that fire,
and I wrote the first, faint line,
faint, without substance, pure
nonsense,
pure wisdom
of someone who knows nothing;
and suddenly I saw
the heavens
unfastened
and open,
planets,
palpitating plantations,
the darkness perforated,
riddled
with arrows, fire, and flowers,
the overpowering night, the universe.

And I, tiny being,
drunk with the great starry
void,
likeness, image of
mystery,
felt myself a pure part
of the abyss.
I wheeled with the stars.
My heart broke loose with the wind.

64% optimus prime

2007-08-28T10:14:00.000+04:00

I AM
64%
OPTIMUS PRIME Take the Transformers Quiz

Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime is the heroic leader of the Autobots. He is the personification of courage, strength, and integrity. His personal motto is that “Freedom is the right of all sentient beings.”

Like Optimus Prime, you are good by nature. But beware because mischievous thoughts sometimes tempt you. You are inspiring, confident, and a natural leader. The Autobots have chosen well. In addition, you enjoy technology and are aware of the latest trends, but you stick with what works for you.

Personality Test

2007-08-22T16:39:00.000+04:00

Hey! Check this out :P

I'm a O88-C86-E18-A90-N14 Big Five!!

from chris, a poetry that sounds so much like a lullaby

2007-08-21T17:08:00.000+04:00

Life Lessons From A Butterfly!

2007-08-04T16:52:00.000+04:00

Life Lessons from a Butterfly

this did not suit his taste :-(

2007-07-26T16:07:00.000+04:00

What’s eating up your time?
Icesx

APPETIZER

T.G.I.T. Thank God it’s Thursday.

The long wait is finally over (once again). As the clock inches its way towards shouting 6:00 (or it may vary depending on your HR Manager’s or simply manager’s temper, or policies, and don’t forget the workload buddy!), the notion of a day off simply takes one’s breath away. Say bye bye to dear PC Monitor, ruined computer keyboard (this is the result of pouring out your angst on that poor board, you should have seen the lost Ctrl key, it went underneath the table to escape your wrath), jolly and almost-insane colleagues (Say genius! Isn’t it there’s a thin line between genius and insanity? So maybe the correct term must be almost genius), ok, almost-genius-colleagues for that matter, and to the path most trodden, you can say farewell to the ever loving bus stop where you wait for almost one hour for Bus No. 6 to take you to your beloved office…Bid now your Sayonara... Au revoir... Adios…Goodbye – for two days. Cease smiling just for a moment otherwise they might think you’re ‘almost a genius’ (*grin*). Now, breathe, relax, and enjoy each passing seconds of pressure-free and tension-stripped time. Float in the world of Friday (and Saturday, if you are blessed with two-day rest day) for at this very moment, you’re a breathing human again and not some mechanical android.

Now, this article is devoted to make you happy. Really. Don’t be too pessimistic and join me to make this ‘free time’ -- of yours and mine-- absolutely worthwhile. (*wink*)

Ideally, your free time will start by Thursday night. And most likely, you have devoted 30 and 2 minutes all weekday afternoon thinking of what activities to embark on or in which shopping mall has the biggest sale to go to on this most anticipated day (or night perhaps?) of the week. You also are considering your friend’s scoop of a newly opened stand up comedy bar. Or maybe a movie treat and a popcorn. Or a dinner date at… blah. I don’t want to pretend I know the places. I just dunno. (Perhaps I’m just not a dinner date-goer, or I consider eating at McDonalds a dinner date as long as it’s dinner time and as long as you’re with special someone or after all, I’m just a romantic that doesn’t believe on a dinner date, whatever.) You can also delight on your Magic Sing Karaoke Microphone & Song Chips and sing you heart out. Show off your singing prowess! Reach a high note! Achieve a head tone like what Rachel Anne Go is fond of doing. (TFC subscribers, I know so well your eagerness to watch ASAP Face off or The Champs segment of ASAP for R.A. GO sing on the top of her lungs.) Come on dude! Filipinos are not musically gifted for nothing. Just be sure you don’t go bashing someone else’s eardrums. That’s cruelty. They too want to enjoy their Thursday night in the comfort of their own homes and not in some pocket-emptying hospital you know.

The list can be endless. There’s too much you want to accomplish aside from sewing your torn sleeves, sweeping the million fallen hairs in the living room and cooking Adobo (*adobo, yum yum!*). You want to treat yourself of something extraordinary. Extra special. Exceptionally enjoyable that’s ... loads of fun and memorable. I have one cool activity in my mind that really matches these criteria you’re looking for. Hold your breath…. Tadah! Attending a cell group!

MAIN COURSE

So much for my introduction, (sorry, it’s relatively lengthy) let’s get down to top three reasons why you should join a cell group.

Extraordinary.

I met quite a lot of people since I was on my kindergarten school. A number of them are really interesting. Some just plainly smile; others would perform strange stunts such as jumping, wrestling, rock climbing and mountain climbing. (Jumping? Strange? Duh.) A lot of people want to always talk and talk and talk and simply talk. Few speak of substance. There are also those who hear from the talker. Few are listeners. Only handfuls are doers. Some are very active. Some are meek. For me, I would never get tired of observing people. Diversity of attitude, personalities and characters is one of the most interesting and extraordinary thing that exists in this world. And I tell you dear readers, the jewels lie in groups called cell group who are of diverse and distinctive personalities but united with one burning passion: Jesus. Know them. They are worth your effort.

Extra Special

Want to attain a special power? (Ding, ang bato!!! Hehehe…)

Here’s the extra special power you can always have: God’s Word.

"The Word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires." Hebrews 4:12 NLT

People who have joined cell groups delve on subjects that talk about their passion. Those topics come from the full authority of God’s own words, His precious message to His children, the Bible. Flipping the pages is entirely different from imbibing it. I always find God’s word empowering and refreshing my tired soul and mind. The world, your boss, your work, problems, and worst broken relationships could certainly zap energy out of you, but in God’s word, you will find yourself restored, alive and excited. Our daily devotions should not be forgotten, but the bond with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ can as well bring forth birth of a new understanding, a wider perspective and never heard before yet sensible and helpful Christ-centered point of views.

Exceptionally enjoyable + fun + memorable experience = Cell group

Rather than wracking your brain coming up with ideas on how to spend your Thursday night, I urge you to run to the nearest cell group in your place (ours is in Satwa, Tita Nena’s place… this is the coolest cell group I tell you, if you think I’m lying, then I challenge you to attend at least four consecutive Thursday nights to prove your accusation, and let’s see… Well, if it ain’t cool enough, you can contribute by bringing one gallon of Haagen-Dazs, then let’s talk about how to make the group cool enough to suit your taste). I remember a game Jing ‘the Golden voice’ had let us play. It’s Trivia or a Quiz regarding the Bible. Quite interesting and informative.

DESSERT

(Personally, I’ll opt for caramel or mocha-flavored cakes. I will appreciate if you can give me one. Haha!)

“Ikaw ba ay nalolongkot, nalolombay at walang magawa sa bohay?”

This was an MTV Ad in the year 1999 or 2000… I forgot. This made me laugh in its first appearance on TV. But observing the girl who was holding a phone in her right hand, boringly dialing numbers of whoever reflected a badly dull and monotonous life. (The eyes, pare, the eyes! They are freaky haunting!)

My final words would be, well… Each of us has a choice. We could spend time on things as dull, monotonous, now-happy-but-tomorrow-broke, absurd, futile time of our life just like what the girl in the ad represents. On the other hand, we can also choose to enjoy time which will let us grow spiritually, as to studying and living out God’s words in our life.

Finally, I want to quote this verse most of us, I assume, have heard before. My challenge to you, readers, is to answer one whole book of Sodoku. Hehe. Kidding. Just simply meditate on this verse and then decide on this day forward, what you are going to do on Thursday nights. I pray you had a good time pondering.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

R for Rome

2007-07-24T11:22:00.000+04:00

"Look! This is not a conversation!" Luke accused.

"Oh yeah?! So what do you want to call what we're doing right now? Huh?! Simultaneous Monologue?" Sarcasm in Micah's voice cannot be hidden. Her voice trembles as she opens her mouth. There's too much pain she cannot bear anymore. Just too much pain.

"I'm asking you to talk to me. No, OK... Let me rephrase that. I'm no longer asking you, I'm begging you. Can you be considerate enough to answer or at least react properly to what I'm telling you?"

It's Micah's deep sighs that only respond. Inside her mind, she's repeating the non-stop mantra of blame and hatred.

Shut up. Shut up. How dare you? Just shut up. Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. Shut up.

"This sweat is so irritating!" Luke mutters as he softly dub the Penshoppe hanky on his forehead.

In the first two months of their relationship, Luke's vanity amuses him. But it's plainly brain wracking now. She sometimes thinks Luke is a homo and their relationship is a big lie. A farce they both put up.

For Luke, it's for fame. For Micah, it's desperation. Talk about life's unfairness.

But she knows these are nonetheless mere imaginations. Micah loves Luke. And Luke, with all his vanity, his day-and-night sarcastic and ironic nagging, loves Micah with such devotion and passion Micah could never deny.

Micah knows so well Luke is just overwhelmingly concerned on halting the argument, to present precisely his point, while wiping the sweats covering his forehead, temples, and neck of course.

But Micah just didn't feel answering nor listening at all. Luke have said the key words. The very words that make Micah's heart sliced into lean pieces until those pieces of her heart were like beaten path towards doom.

"This is so unbearable!" Micah yelled five centimetres away from Luke's left ear.

"Ouch! Why do you always have to do that?" Luke tries to test his hearing while shaking his head.

"Do you want to have a deaf fiancee?"
"Maybe I'll opt for a deaf fiancee rather than a vain man who dreams to be my weighing scale." Micah looks scary with her eyes forced to be wide opened.

"Are you furious only because I told you to stop eating half gallon ice cream and two bars of Cadbury chocolate in our date?" Luke's eyebrows raise till it reaches the sky.

conventions

2007-07-07T08:57:00.000+04:00

I need

I need to be tall

I need to be slim

I need to have fair complexion

I need to have hairless legs and arms

I need my underarms to be hair-free and sweat-free as well

I need to have straight, shiny ,black hair

I need it to be cut perfectly

I need to have curly long eyelashes

I need to tweeze my brows every other day

I need to have clean ears and booger-free nose

I need my teeth to be as white as pearls

I need to cut my nails till they bleed

And finally, I need something or someone that will help me realize that these things I've mentioned are not the ones I really need to fix my life.

I'm dim-witted big fatty ass. I'm fat and lots of cellulites are stored in my body.
I need to start thinking in such a way where everything is positive. I need to do that and that is a gigantic challenge.

The reality of life bites badly.
It bites often and makes my teeth gnash and my head swirls as I go searching in the deeper recesses of my brain why things supposes to be like this and like that.

Going to salon and pay those hair-wreckers some... ok let me rephrase that... a bunch of your bucks for a hair so straight it looks like you'll gonna be the next member of F4, so that makes you the "5th F" (har har!), is not really something extraordinary.

It will make you look expensive and all but will not help you to be a person who'll gonna make changes on people's heart and mind.

It will only make you look presentable and pleasing to someone else's eyes.

Ah! Conventions!

You should look expensive first to be treated as expensive.

Hey, I don't want to be treated as expensive, I just want to be treated as a person!

mumbles

2007-07-07T08:38:00.000+04:00

Life is indeed complicated. And its complications are itching me.

As one tries to understand or at least to rationalize why certain things happen or why do people kept on hurting other people even though its crystal clear we are all humans and all have our own rights, that person will end up oxygen journeying in his nose with a wracked brain.

Yet, we, as Christians, (hello to all Christian readers out there and also to the non-Christians, you're very free to read my blog... it's indeed my pleasure...), know that everything happens for a reason and our Almighty God sees each and everyone's sufferings and afflictions.

Anyway, I'm just... er... my stomach is disturbed. I'll just gonna run for some cheese croissant.

Apologies... apologies...

2007-06-17T10:03:00.000+04:00

Seems like I bombarded my readers with posts from ESV. So sorry. I forgot to post these past few days... I'll do my best not to commit the same err again. Enjoy reading folks!

Everyday in the Word: 17 June 2007

2007-06-17T10:02:00.001+04:00

1 Kings 18
Elijah Confronts Ahab

18:1 After many days the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth.” 2 So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria. 3 And Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly, 4 and when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water.) 5 And Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the valleys. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, and not lose some of the animals.” 6 So they divided the land between them to pass through it. Ahab went in one direction by himself, and Obadiah went in another direction by himself.

7 And as Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him. And Obadiah recognized him and fell on his face and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?” 8 And he answered him, “It is I. Go, tell your lord, ‘Behold, Elijah is here.’” 9 And he said, “How have I sinned, that you would give your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me? 10 As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent to seek you. And when they would say, ‘He is not here,’ he would take an oath of the kingdom or nation, that they had not found you. 11 And now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, “Behold, Elijah is here.”’ 12 And as soon as I have gone from you, the Spirit of the Lord will carry you I know not where. And so, when I come and tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will kill me, although I your servant have feared the Lord from my youth. 13 Has it not been told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord, how I hid a hundred men of the Lord's prophets by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water? 14 And now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, “Behold, Elijah is here”’; and he will kill me.” 15 And Elijah said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today.” 16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him. And Ahab went to meet Elijah.

17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, you troubler of Israel?” 18 And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father's house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals. 19 Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table.”
The Prophets of Baal Defeated

20 So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal's prophets are 450 men. 23 Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. 24 And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.” 25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” 26 And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. 27 And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” 28 And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. 29 And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, “Israel shall be your name,” 32 and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs [1] of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” 34 And he said, “Do it a second time.” And they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time. 35 And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water.

36 And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. 37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.” 40 And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.
The Lord Sends Rain

41 And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of the rushing of rain.” 42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel. And he bowed himself down on the earth and put his face between his knees. 43 And he said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” And he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Go again,” seven times. 44 And at the seventh time he said, “Behold, a little cloud like a man's hand is rising from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.’” 45 And in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel. 46 And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah, and he gathered up his garment and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
Acts 11
Peter Reports to the Church

11:1 Now the apostles and the brothers [2] who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, 3 “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” 4 But Peter began and explained it to them in order: 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. 6 Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9 But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ 10 This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. 11 And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. 12 And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house. 13 And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; 14 he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ 15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?” 18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
The Church in Antioch

19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists [3] also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, 24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. 25 So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

27 Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). 29 So the disciples determined, everyone according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers [4] living in Judea. 30 And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
Psalm 135
Your Name, O Lord, Endures Forever

135:1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord,
give praise, O servants of the Lord,
2 who stand in the house of the Lord,
in the courts of the house of our God!
3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
sing to his name, for it is pleasant! [5]
4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself,
Israel as his own possession.

5 For I know that the Lord is great,
and that our Lord is above all gods.
6 Whatever the Lord pleases, he does,
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all deeps.
7 He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth,
who makes lightnings for the rain
and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.

8 He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
both of man and of beast;
9 who in your midst, O Egypt,
sent signs and wonders
against Pharaoh and all his servants;
10 who struck down many nations
and killed mighty kings,
11 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
and Og, king of Bashan,
and all the kingdoms of Canaan,
12 and gave their land as a heritage,
a heritage to his people Israel.

13 Your name, O Lord, endures forever,
your renown, [6] O Lord, throughout all ages.
14 For the Lord will vindicate his people
and have compassion on his servants.

15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
16 They have mouths, but do not speak;
they have eyes, but do not see;
17 they have ears, but do not hear,
nor is there any breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them become like them,
so do all who trust in them!

19 O house of Israel, bless the Lord!
O house of Aaron, bless the Lord!
20 O house of Levi, bless the Lord!
You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!
21 Blessed be the Lord from Zion,
he who dwells in Jerusalem!
Praise the Lord!
Proverbs 17:12-13

12 Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs
rather than a fool in his folly.
13 If anyone returns evil for good,
evil will not depart from his house.

Everyday in the Word: 16 June 2007

2007-06-17T10:01:00.001+04:00

1 Kings 15:25-17:24

Nadab Reigns in Israel

25 Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. 26 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin which he made Israel to sin.

27 Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him. And Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, for Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to Gibbethon. 28 So Baasha killed him in the third year of Asa king of Judah and reigned in his place. 29 And as soon as he was king, he killed all the house of Jeroboam. He left to the house of Jeroboam not one that breathed, until he had destroyed it, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite. 30 It was for the sins of Jeroboam that he sinned and that he made Israel to sin, and because of the anger to which he provoked the Lord, the God of Israel.

31 Now the rest of the acts of Nadab and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 32 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
Baasha Reigns in Israel

33 In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah began to reign over all Israel at Tirzah, and he reigned twenty-four years. 34 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he made Israel to sin.

16:1 And the word of the Lord came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying, 2 “Since I exalted you out of the dust and made you leader over my people Israel, and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam and have made my people Israel to sin, provoking me to anger with their sins, 3 behold, I will utterly sweep away Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 4 Anyone belonging to Baasha who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone of his who dies in the field the birds of the heavens shall eat.”

5 Now the rest of the acts of Baasha and what he did, and his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 6 And Baasha slept with his fathers and was buried at Tirzah, and Elah his son reigned in his place. 7 Moreover, the word of the Lord came by the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha and his house, both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and also because he destroyed it.
Elah Reigns in Israel

8 In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah the son of Baasha began to reign over Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned two years. 9 But his servant Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him. When he was at Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the household in Tirzah, 10 Zimri came in and struck him down and killed him, in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his place.

11 When he began to reign, as soon as he had seated himself on his throne, he struck down all the house of Baasha. He did not leave him a single male of his relatives or his friends. 12 Thus Zimri destroyed all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke against Baasha by Jehu the prophet, 13 for all the sins of Baasha and the sins of Elah his son, which they sinned and which they made Israel to sin, provoking the Lord God of Israel to anger with their idols. 14 Now the rest of the acts of Elah and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
Zimri Reigns in Israel

15 In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. Now the troops were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, 16 and the troops who were encamped heard it said, “Zimri has conspired, and he has killed the king.” Therefore all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp. 17 So Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah. 18 And when Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king's house and burned the king's house over him with fire and died, 19 because of his sins that he committed, doing evil in the sight of the Lord, walking in the way of Jeroboam, and for his sin which he committed, making Israel to sin. 20 Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and the conspiracy that he made, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
Omri Reigns in Israel

21 Then the people of Israel were divided into two parts. Half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri. 22 But the people who followed Omri overcame the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath. So Tibni died, and Omri became king. 23 In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for twelve years; six years he reigned in Tirzah. 24 He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents [1] of silver, and he fortified the hill and called the name of the city that he built Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill.

25 Omri did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did more evil than all who were before him. 26 For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in the sins that he made Israel to sin, provoking the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger by their idols. 27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri that he did, and the might that he showed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 28 And Omri slept with his fathers and was buried in Samaria, and Ahab his son reigned in his place.
Ahab Reigns in Israel

29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. 30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him. 31 And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took for his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him. 32 He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria. 33 And Ahab made an Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him. 34 In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.
Elijah Predicts a Drought

17:1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe [2] in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” 2 And the word of the Lord came to him: 3 “Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. 4 You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” 5 So he went and did according to the word of the Lord. He went and lived by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan. 6 And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. 7 And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.
The Widow of Zarephath

8 Then the word of the Lord came to him, 9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” 11 And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” 12 And she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” 13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. 14 For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.’” 15 And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. 16 The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.
Elijah Raises the Widow's Son

17 After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. 18 And she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!” 19 And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her arms and carried him up into the upper chamber where he lodged, and laid him on his own bed. 20 And he cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?” 21 Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, let this child's life [3] come into him again.” 22 And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. 23 And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives.” 24 And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”
Acts 10:23-48

23 So he invited them in to be his guests.

The next day he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. 24 And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.” 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. 28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.”

30 And Cornelius said, “Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, [4] and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ 33 So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”
Gentiles Hear the Good News

34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), 37 you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, 40 but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, 41 not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
The Holy Spirit Falls on the Gentiles

44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.
Psalm 134
Come, Bless the Lord
A Song of Ascents.

134:1 Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,
who stand by night in the house of the Lord!
2 Lift up your hands to the holy place
and bless the Lord!

3 May the Lord bless you from Zion,
he who made heaven and earth!
Proverbs 17:9-11

9 Whoever covers an offense seeks love,
but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.
10 A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
than a hundred blows into a fool.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion,
and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

Everyday in the Word: 15 June 2007

2007-06-17T10:00:00.000+04:00

1 Kings 14:1-15:24
Prophecy Against Jeroboam

14:1 At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick. 2 And Jeroboam said to his wife, “Arise, and disguise yourself, that it not be known that you are the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh. Behold, Ahijah the prophet is there, who said of me that I should be king over this people. 3 Take with you ten loaves, some cakes, and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what shall happen to the child.”

4 Jeroboam's wife did so. She arose and went to Shiloh and came to the house of Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were dim because of his age. 5 And the Lord said to Ahijah, “Behold, the wife of Jeroboam is coming to inquire of you concerning her son, for he is sick. Thus and thus shall you say to her.”

When she came, she pretended to be another woman. 6 But when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why do you pretend to be another? For I am charged with unbearable news for you. 7 Go, tell Jeroboam, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: “Because I exalted you from among the people and made you leader over my people Israel 8 and tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you, and yet you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me with all his heart, doing only that which was right in my eyes, 9 but you have done evil above all who were before you and have gone and made for yourself other gods and metal images, provoking me to anger, and have cast me behind your back, 10 therefore behold, I will bring harm upon the house of Jeroboam and will cut off from Jeroboam every male, both bond and free in Israel, and will burn up the house of Jeroboam, as a man burns up dung until it is all gone. 11 Anyone belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone who dies in the open country the birds of the heavens shall eat, for the Lord has spoken it.”’ 12 Arise therefore, go to your house. When your feet enter the city, the child shall die. 13 And all Israel shall mourn for him and bury him, for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found something pleasing to the Lord, the God of Israel, in the house of Jeroboam. 14 Moreover, the Lord will raise up for himself a king over Israel who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam today. And henceforth, 15 the Lord will strike Israel as a reed is shaken in the water, and root up Israel out of this good land that he gave to their fathers and scatter them beyond the Euphrates, because they have made their Asherim, provoking the Lord to anger. 16 And he will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, which he sinned and made Israel to sin.”

17 Then Jeroboam's wife arose and departed and came to Tirzah. And as she came to the threshold of the house, the child died. 18 And all Israel buried him and mourned for him, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by his servant Ahijah the prophet.
The Death of Jeroboam

19 Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he warred and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. 20 And the time that Jeroboam reigned was twenty-two years. And he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his place.
Rehoboam Reigns in Judah

21 Now Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city that the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. His mother's name was Naamah the Ammonite. 22 And Judah did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins that they committed, more than all that their fathers had done. 23 For they also built for themselves high places and pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree, 24 and there were also male cult prostitutes in the land. They did according to all the abominations of the nations that the Lord drove out before the people of Israel.

25 In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem. 26 He took away the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king's house. He took away everything. He also took away all the shields of gold that Solomon had made, 27 and King Rehoboam made in their place shields of bronze, and committed them to the hands of the officers of the guard, who kept the door of the king's house. 28 And as often as the king went into the house of the Lord, the guard carried them and brought them back to the guardroom.

29 Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 30 And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. 31 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. His mother's name was Naamah the Ammonite. And Abijam his son reigned in his place.
Abijam Reigns in Judah

15:1 Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam the son of Nebat, Abijam began to reign over Judah. 2 He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. 3 And he walked in all the sins that his father did before him, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father. 4 Nevertheless, for David's sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, setting up his son after him, and establishing Jerusalem, 5 because David did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. 6 Now there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. 7 The rest of the acts of Abijam and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. 8 And Abijam slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David. And Asa his son reigned in his place.
Asa Reigns In Judah

9 In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa began to reign over Judah, 10 and he reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. 11 And Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as David his father had done. 12 He put away the male cult prostitutes out of the land and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. 13 He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen mother because she had made an abominable image for Asherah. And Asa cut down her image and burned it at the brook Kidron. 14 But the high places were not taken away. Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was wholly true to the Lord all his days. 15 And he brought into the house of the Lord the sacred gifts of his father and his own sacred gifts, silver, and gold, and vessels.

16 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. 17 Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and built Ramah, that he might permit no one to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. 18 Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king's house and gave them into the hands of his servants. And King Asa sent them to Ben-hadad the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, who lived in Damascus, saying, 19 “Let there be a covenant [1] between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Behold, I am sending to you a present of silver and gold. Go, break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel, that he may withdraw from me.” 20 And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel and conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali. 21 And when Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah, and he lived in Tirzah. 22 Then King Asa made a proclamation to all Judah, none was exempt, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber, with which Baasha had been building, and with them King Asa built Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah. 23 Now the rest of all the acts of Asa, all his might, and all that he did, and the cities that he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? But in his old age he was diseased in his feet. 24 And Asa slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father, and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place.
Acts 10:1-23
Peter and Cornelius

10:1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, 2 a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. 3 About the ninth hour of the day [2] he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” 4 And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. 5 And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” 7 When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, 8 and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
Peter's Vision

9 The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour [3] to pray. 10 And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance 11 and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” 15 And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” 16 This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.

17 Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood at the gate 18 and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. 19 And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them.” 21 And Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?” 22 And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say.” 23 So he invited them in to be his guests.

The next day he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.
Psalm 133
When Brothers Dwell in Unity
A Song of Ascents. Of David.

133:1 Behold, how good and pleasant it is
when brothers dwell in unity! [4]
2 It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down on the collar of his robes!
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,
life forevermore.
Proverbs 17:7-8

7 Fine speech is not becoming to a fool;
still less is false speech to a prince.
8 A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;
wherever he turns he prospers.

Everyday in the Word: 14 June 2007

2007-06-17T09:59:00.000+04:00

1 Kings 12:20-13:34

20 And when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. There was none that followed the house of David but the tribe of Judah only.

21 When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, 180,000 chosen warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. 22 But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God: 23 “Say to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, 24 ‘Thus says the Lord, You shall not go up or fight against your relatives the people of Israel. Every man return to his home, for this thing is from me.’” So they listened to the word of the Lord and went home again, according to the word of the Lord.
Jeroboam's Golden Calves

25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. And he went out from there and built Penuel. 26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom will turn back to the house of David. 27 If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.” 28 So the king took counsel and made two calves of gold. And he said to the people, “You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” 29 And he set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. 30 Then this thing became a sin, for the people went as far as Dan to be before one. [1] 31 He also made temples on high places and appointed priests from among all the people, who were not of the Levites. 32 And Jeroboam appointed a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month like the feast that was in Judah, and he offered sacrifices on the altar. So he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he made. And he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places that he had made. 33 He went up to the altar that he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, in the month that he had devised from his own heart. And he instituted a feast for the people of Israel and went up to the altar to make offerings.
A Man of God Confronts Jeroboam

13:1 And behold, a man of God came out of Judah by the word of the Lord to Bethel. Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make offerings. 2 And the man cried against the altar by the word of the Lord and said, “O altar, altar, thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name, and he shall sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who make offerings on you, and human bones shall be burned on you.’” 3 And he gave a sign the same day, saying, “This is the sign that the Lord has spoken: ‘Behold, the altar shall be torn down, and the ashes that are on it shall be poured out.’” 4 And when the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar at Bethel, Jeroboam stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, “Seize him.” And his hand, which he stretched out against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back to himself. 5 The altar also was torn down, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign that the man of God had given by the word of the Lord. 6 And the king said to the man of God, “Entreat now the favor of the Lord your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me.” And the man of God entreated the Lord, and the king's hand was restored to him and became as it was before. 7 And the king said to the man of God, “Come home with me, and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward.” 8 And the man of God said to the king, “If you give me half your house, I will not go in with you. And I will not eat bread or drink water in this place, 9 for so was it commanded me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘You shall neither eat bread nor drink water nor return by the way that you came.’” 10 So he went another way and did not return by the way that he came to Bethel.
The Prophet's Disobedience

11 Now an old prophet lived in Bethel. And his sons [2] came and told him all that the man of God had done that day in Bethel. They also told to their father the words that he had spoken to the king. 12 And their father said to them, “Which way did he go?” And his sons showed him the way that the man of God who came from Judah had gone. 13 And he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled the donkey for him and he mounted it. 14 And he went after the man of God and found him sitting under an oak. And he said to him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?” And he said, “I am.” 15 Then he said to him, “Come home with me and eat bread.” 16 And he said, “I may not return with you, or go in with you, neither will I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place, 17 for it was said to me by the word of the Lord, ‘You shall neither eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by the way that you came.’” 18 And he said to him, “I also am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘Bring him back with you into your house that he may eat bread and drink water.’” But he lied to him. 19 So he went back with him and ate bread in his house and drank water.

20 And as they sat at the table, the word of the Lord came to the prophet who had brought him back. 21 And he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because you have disobeyed the word of the Lord and have not kept the command that the Lord your God commanded you, 22 but have come back and have eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which he said to you, “Eat no bread and drink no water,” your body shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.’” 23 And after he had eaten bread and drunk, he saddled the donkey for the prophet whom he had brought back. 24 And as he went away a lion met him on the road and killed him. And his body was thrown in the road, and the donkey stood beside it; the lion also stood beside the body. 25 And behold, men passed by and saw the body thrown in the road and the lion standing by the body. And they came and told it in the city where the old prophet lived.

26 And when the prophet who had brought him back from the way heard of it, he said, “It is the man of God who disobeyed the word of the Lord; therefore the Lord has given him to the lion, which has torn him and killed him, according to the word that the Lord spoke to him.” 27 And he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” And they saddled it. 28 And he went and found his body thrown in the road, and the donkey and the lion standing beside the body. The lion had not eaten the body or torn the donkey. 29 And the prophet took up the body of the man of God and laid it on the donkey and brought it back to the city [3] to mourn and to bury him. 30 And he laid the body in his own grave. And they mourned over him, saying, “Alas, my brother!” 31 And after he had buried him, he said to his sons, “When I die, bury me in the grave in which the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones. 32 For the saying that he called out by the word of the Lord against the altar in Bethel and against all the houses of the high places that are in the cities of Samaria shall surely come to pass.”

33 After this thing Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way, but made priests for the high places again from among all the people. Any who would, he ordained to be priests of the high places. 34 And this thing became sin to the house of Jeroboam, so as to cut it off and to destroy it from the face of the earth.
Acts 9:26-43
Saul in Jerusalem

26 And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. [4] But they were seeking to kill him. 30 And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.
The Healing of Aeneas

32 Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose. 35 And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
Dorcas Restored to Life

36 Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. [5] She was full of good works and acts of charity. 37 In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Please come to us without delay.” 39 So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics [6] and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. 40 But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43 And he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner.
Psalm 132
The Lord Has Chosen Zion
A Song of Ascents.

132:1 Remember, O Lord, in David's favor,
all the hardships he endured,
2 how he swore to the Lord
and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
3 “I will not enter my house
or get into my bed,
4 I will not give sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,
5 until I find a place for the Lord,
a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
we found it in the fields of Jaar.
7 “Let us go to his dwelling place;
let us worship at his footstool!”

8 Arise, O Lord, and go to your resting place,
you and the ark of your might.
9 Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,
and let your saints shout for joy.
10 For the sake of your servant David,
do not turn away the face of your anointed one.

11 The Lord swore to David a sure oath
from which he will not turn back:
“One of the sons of your body [7]
I will set on your throne.
12 If your sons keep my covenant
and my testimonies that I shall teach them,
their sons also forever
shall sit on your throne.”

13 For the Lord has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his dwelling place:
14 “This is my resting place forever;
here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
15 I will abundantly bless her provisions;
I will satisfy her poor with bread.
16 Her priests I will clothe with salvation,
and her saints will shout for joy.
17 There I will make a horn to sprout for David;
I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.
18 His enemies I will clothe with shame,
but on him his crown will shine.”
Proverbs 17:6

6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,
and the glory of children is their fathers.

Everyday in the Word: 13 June 2007

2007-06-17T09:56:00.000+04:00

1 Kings 11:1-12:19
A
Solomon Turns from the Lord

11:1 Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, 2 from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. 3 He had 700 wives, princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart. 4 For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6 So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David his father had done. 7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem. 8 And so he did for all his foreign wives, who made offerings and sacrificed to their gods.
The Lord Raises Adversaries

9 And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice 10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the Lord commanded. 11 Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant. 12 Yet for the sake of David your father I will not do it in your days, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. 13 However, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son, for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem that I have chosen.”

14 And the Lord raised up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite. He was of the royal house in Edom. 15 For when David was in Edom, and Joab the commander of the army went up to bury the slain, he struck down every male in Edom 16 (for Joab and all Israel remained there six months, until he had cut off every male in Edom). 17 But Hadad fled to Egypt, together with certain Edomites of his father's servants, Hadad still being a little child. 18 They set out from Midian and came to Paran and took men with them from Paran and came to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave him a house and assigned him an allowance of food and gave him land. 19 And Hadad found great favor in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him in marriage the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen. 20 And the sister of Tahpenes bore him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh's house. And Genubath was in Pharaoh's house among the sons of Pharaoh. 21 But when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers and that Joab the commander of the army was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, “Let me depart, that I may go to my own country.” 22 But Pharaoh said to him, “What have you lacked with me that you are now seeking to go to your own country?” And he said to him, “Only let me depart.”

23 God also raised up as an adversary to him, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from his master Hadadezer king of Zobah. 24 And he gathered men about him and became leader of a marauding band, after the killing by David. And they went to Damascus and lived there and made him king in Damascus. 25 He was an adversary of Israel all the days of Solomon, doing harm as Hadad did. And he loathed Israel and reigned over Syria.

26 Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow, also lifted up his hand against the king. 27 And this was the reason why he lifted up his hand against the king. Solomon built the Millo, and closed up the breach of the city of David his father. 28 The man Jeroboam was very able, and when Solomon saw that the young man was industrious he gave him charge over all the forced labor of the house of Joseph. 29 And at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him on the road. Now Ahijah had dressed himself in a new garment, and the two of them were alone in the open country. 30 Then Ahijah laid hold of the new garment that was on him, and tore it into twelve pieces. 31 And he said to Jeroboam, “Take for yourself ten pieces, for thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon and will give you ten tribes 32 (but he shall have one tribe, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel), 33 because they have [1] forsaken me and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites, and they have not walked in my ways, doing what is right in my sight and keeping my statutes and my rules, as David his father did. 34 Nevertheless, I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him ruler all the days of his life, for the sake of David my servant whom I chose, who kept my commandments and my statutes. 35 But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand and will give it to you, ten tribes. 36 Yet to his son I will give one tribe, that David my servant may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen to put my name. 37 And I will take you, and you shall reign over all that your soul desires, and you shall be king over Israel. 38 And if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do what is right in my eyes by keeping my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, I will be with you and will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you. 39 And I will afflict the offspring of David because of this, but not forever.’” 40 Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. But Jeroboam arose and fled into Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

41 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the Book of the Acts of Solomon? 42 And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. 43 And Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.
Rehoboam's Folly

12:1 Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. 2 And as soon as Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), then Jeroboam returned from [2] Egypt. 3 And they sent and called him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehoboam, 4 “Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve you.” 5 He said to them, “Go away for three days, then come again to me.” So the people went away.

6 Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, “How do you advise me to answer this people?” 7 And they said to him, “If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever.” 8 But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him. 9 And he said to them, “What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke that your father put on us’?” 10 And the young men who had grown up with him said to him, “Thus shall you speak to this people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you lighten it for us,’ thus shall you say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father's thighs. 11 And now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’”

12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king said, “Come to me again the third day.” 13 And the king answered the people harshly, and forsaking the counsel that the old men had given him, 14 he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.” 15 So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of affairs brought about by the Lord that he might fulfill his word, which the Lord spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
The Kingdom Divided

16 And when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, “What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, David.” So Israel went to their tents. 17 But Rehoboam reigned over the people of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah. 18 Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was taskmaster over the forced labor, and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. And King Rehoboam hurried to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. 19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.
Acts 9:1-25
The Conversion of Saul

9:1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; 19 and taking food, he was strengthened.
Saul Proclaims Jesus in Synagogues

For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. 20 And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” 21 And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.
Saul Escapes from Damascus

23 When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, 25 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, [3] lowering him in a basket.
Psalm 131
I Have Calmed and Quieted My Soul
A Song of Ascents. Of David.

131:1 O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;
my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and too marvelous for me.
2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child is my soul within me.

3 O Israel, hope in the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore.
Proverbs 17:4-5

4 An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker;
he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.

Blossomming to Metamorphosizing ... A Glance of Maximo Oliveros

2007-06-14T09:35:00.000+04:00

Started with a chaotic atmosphere and with music rioting on the background. Fast paced frames to slow mo of scenic spots of Manila's urban poor. Reminded me of a regular brouhaha days in the Philippines. On some accounts, I can relate but for some, I cannot, but though I can't, I still have an idea on how it feels to be living in shabby places like those.

Here lives Maximo, a jolly and contented young lad with a lass' heart, who by the way he carries his headband(or was it hairband?), and skimpy sando's or spaghetti straps gliding and preening his way on the eskinita, amazingly, profoundly, remarkably etched in my mind and in my heart.

Directed by Auraeus Solito (kudos direk!) and stimulatingly written by Michiko Yamamoto, 'Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros' ('The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros') is a real non real story that weaves the life of the central character Maximo or 'Maxi', as his friends call him, with the lives of the people he truly loves: his father excellently played by Soliman Cruz (my former director in Folk Arts Theater, I'm so proud of you direk! hope you still remember me),'astig', serious brother Kuya Boy (Neil Ryan Sese), the funny smart but very caring Kuya Bogs (Ping Medina, cutey!!!) and the kind hearted cop, Victor Perez (JR Valentin) who robbed Maxi's sanity(haha!).

Conflict began when one of Maxi's brother Kuya Boy killed a 16-year old innocent student when the former snatched the latter's cellphone and Maxi is somehow confused, due to his love to his family, to keep his loyalty with them rather than squealing the truth to his crush/love Victor the cop and his knight in shining armor.
Things from here unfold the dark nature of poverty and injustices. Until a new chief came to the scene who will eventually change the truning point of Maxi's life.

One of the most heart tugging scenes that caught me is Kuya Bogs utterly and 'touchingly protective' love to Maxi.

Then there also goes the slain on one of Maxi's important guy on his life. The events that follow make me lose my sanity. (Nyahaha!!! I cried hard before I went to sleep).

No matter how Maxi tries to make everything back to normal again, it cannot be and would not be because the one person who's a major source of his strength was gone. His family can't be whole anymore. It's a sad reality. But reality though.

Futhermore on the tear jerkers in the movie is the acceptance of Maxi's brothers and father on him. It melted my heart. Not really centralizing on Maxi being gay but the point that it's so hard to sometimes to accept your own family's ugly side, especially on Filipino society's perpective of having a gay son, Maxi's family's unquestionable love is a rare thing in this world now. Not only Maxi's family but also on Maxi's acceptance of his father's and brother's illegal business.

(Wishlist#1 : brothers like Kuya Boy and Kuya Bogs to whom i can make lambing and who will touchingly protect me...
Wishlist#2 : A tatay like direk Soliman/ Mang paco with whom I can hug and can express my daughterly affection.)

Rating for this movie is perfect 5 out of 5!!!! A must see!!!!

Reviews:

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MY SOUL WAITS FOR THE LORD

2007-06-14T09:30:00.000+04:00

Psalm 130
My Soul Waits for the Lord
A Song of Ascents.

130:1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
2 O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.

5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.

7 O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
8 And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.

Everyday in the Word: 12 June 2007

2007-06-14T09:26:00.000+04:00

1 Kings 9-10
The Lord Appears to Solomon

9:1 As soon as Solomon had finished building the house of the Lord and the king's house and all that Solomon desired to build, 2 the Lord appeared to Solomon a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. 3 And the Lord said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your plea, which you have made before me. I have consecrated this house that you have built, by putting my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time.

4 And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my rules, 5 then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’ 6 But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes that I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, 7 then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them, and the house that I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight, and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples. 8 And this house will become a heap of ruins. [1] Everyone passing by it will be astonished and will hiss, and they will say, ‘Why has the Lord done thus to this land and to this house?’ 9 Then they will say, ‘Because they abandoned the Lord their God who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt and laid hold on other gods and worshiped them and served them. Therefore the Lord has brought all this disaster on them.’”
Solomon's Other Acts

10 At the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the Lord and the king's house, 11 and Hiram king of Tyre had supplied Solomon with cedar and cypress timber and gold, as much as he desired, King Solomon gave to Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee. 12 But when Hiram came from Tyre to see the cities that Solomon had given him, they did not please him. 13 Therefore he said, “What kind of cities are these that you have given me, my brother?” So they are called the land of Cabul to this day. 14 Hiram had sent to the king 120 talents [2] of gold.

15 And this is the account of the forced labor that King Solomon drafted to build the house of the Lord and his own house and the Millo and the wall of Jerusalem and Hazor and Megiddo and Gezer 16 (Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up and captured Gezer and burned it with fire, and had killed the Canaanites who lived in the city, and had given it as dowry to his daughter, Solomon's wife; 17 so Solomon rebuilt Gezer) and Lower Beth-horon 18 and Baalath and Tamar in the wilderness, in the land of Judah, [3] 19 and all the store cities that Solomon had, and the cities for his chariots, and the cities for his horsemen, and whatever Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion. 20 All the people who were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of the people of Israel— 21 their descendants who were left after them in the land, whom the people of Israel were unable to devote to destruction [4]—these Solomon drafted to be slaves, and so they are to this day. 22 But of the people of Israel Solomon made no slaves. They were the soldiers, they were his officials, his commanders, his captains, his chariot commanders and his horsemen.

23 These were the chief officers who were over Solomon's work: 550 who had charge of the people who carried on the work.

24 But Pharaoh's daughter went up from the city of David to her own house that Solomon had built for her. Then he built the Millo.

25 Three times a year Solomon used to offer up burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar that he built to the Lord, making offerings with it [5] before the Lord. So he finished the house.

26 King Solomon built a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. 27 And Hiram sent with the fleet his servants, seamen who were familiar with the sea, together with the servants of Solomon. 28 And they went to Ophir and brought from there gold, 420 talents, and they brought it to King Solomon.
The Queen of Sheba

10:1 Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. 2 She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels bearing spices and very much gold and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, she told him all that was on her mind. 3 And Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king that he could not explain to her. 4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 5 the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, their clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the Lord, there was no more breath in her.

6 And she said to the king, “The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom, 7 but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report that I heard. 8 Happy are your men! Happy are your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 9 Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord loved Israel forever, he has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness.” 10 Then she gave the king 120 talents [6] of gold, and a very great quantity of spices and precious stones. Never again came such an abundance of spices as these that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

11 Moreover, the fleet of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought from Ophir a very great amount of almug wood and precious stones. 12 And the king made of the almug wood supports for the house of the Lord and for the king's house, also lyres and harps for the singers. No such almug wood has come or been seen to this day.

13 And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all that she desired, whatever she asked besides what was given her by the bounty of King Solomon. So she turned and went back to her own land with her servants.
Solomon's Great Wealth

14 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold, 15 besides that which came from the explorers and from the business of the merchants, and from all the kings of the west and from the governors of the land. 16 King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold; 600 shekels [7] of gold went into each shield. 17 And he made 300 shields of beaten gold; three minas [8] of gold went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. 18 The king also made a great ivory throne and overlaid it with the finest gold. 19 The throne had six steps, and at the back of the throne was a calf's head, and on each side of the seat were armrests and two lions standing beside the armrests, 20 while twelve lions stood there, one on each end of a step on the six steps. The like of it was never made in any kingdom. 21 All King Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None were of silver; silver was not considered as anything in the days of Solomon. 22 For the king had a fleet of ships of Tarshish at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the fleet of ships of Tarshish used to come bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. [9]

23 Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. 24 And the whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind. 25 Every one of them brought his present, articles of silver and gold, garments, myrrh, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.

26 And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 27 And the king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stone, and he made cedar as plentiful as the sycamore of the Shephelah. 28 And Solomon's import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king's traders received them from Kue at a price. 29 A chariot could be imported from Egypt for 600 shekels of silver and a horse for 150, and so through the king's traders they were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.
Acts 8:14-40

14 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are in the gall [10] of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.” 24 And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”

25 Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.
Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south [11] to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. 27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:

“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter
and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he opens not his mouth.
33 In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.”

34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. 36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” [12] 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
Psalm 130
My Soul Waits for the Lord
A Song of Ascents.

130:1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
2 O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.

5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.

7 O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
8 And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.
Proverbs 17:2-3

2 A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully
and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
and the Lord tests hearts.

Psalms 46:10

2007-06-11T09:19:00.000+04:00

Be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.

Everyday in the Word: 11 June 2007

2007-06-11T09:15:00.000+04:00

The Ark Brought into the Temple

8:1 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers' houses of the people of Israel, before King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. 2 And all the men of Israel assembled to King Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. 3 And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark. 1 Kings 8
4 And they brought up the ark of the Lord, the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up. 5 And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who had assembled before him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered. 6 Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place in the inner sanctuary of the house, in the Most Holy Place, underneath the wings of the cherubim. 7 For the cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles. 8 And the poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the Holy Place before the inner sanctuary; but they could not be seen from outside. And they are there to this day. 9 There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone that Moses put there at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the people of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. 10 And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the Lord, 11 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.
Solomon Blesses the Lord

12 Then Solomon said, “The Lord [1] has said that he would dwell in thick darkness. 13 I have indeed built you an exalted house, a place for you to dwell in forever.” 14 Then the king turned around and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel stood. 15 And he said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who with his hand has fulfilled what he promised with his mouth to David my father, saying, 16 ‘Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house, that my name might be there. But I chose David to be over my people Israel.’ 17 Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 18 But the Lord said to David my father, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart. 19 Nevertheless, you shall not build the house, but your son who shall be born to you shall build the house for my name.’ 20 Now the Lord has fulfilled his promise that he made. For I have risen in the place of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and I have built the house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 21 And there I have provided a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord that he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.”
Solomon's Prayer of Dedication

22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven, 23 and said, “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart, 24 who have kept with your servant David my father what you declared to him. You spoke with your mouth, and with your hand have fulfilled it this day. 25 Now therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father what you have promised him, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.’ 26 Now therefore, O God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you have spoken to your servant David my father.

27 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! 28 Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you this day, 29 that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you have said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. 30 And listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen in heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.

31 “If a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take an oath and comes and swears his oath before your altar in this house, 32 then hear in heaven and act and judge your servants, condemning the guilty by bringing his conduct on his own head, and vindicating the righteous by rewarding him according to his righteousness.

33 “When your people Israel are defeated before the enemy because they have sinned against you, and if they turn again to you and acknowledge your name and pray and plead with you in this house, 34 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them again to the land that you gave to their fathers.

35 “When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and acknowledge your name and turn from their sin, when you afflict them, 36 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk, and grant rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.

37 “If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence or blight or mildew or locust or caterpillar, if their enemy besieges them in the land at their gates, [2] whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, 38 whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing the affliction of his own heart and stretching out his hands toward this house, 39 then hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways (for you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind), 40 that they may fear you all the days that they live in the land that you gave to our fathers.

41 “Likewise, when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a far country for your name's sake 42 (for they shall hear of your great name and your mighty hand, and of your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this house, 43 hear in heaven your dwelling place and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house that I have built is called by your name.

44 “If your people go out to battle against their enemy, by whatever way you shall send them, and they pray to the Lord toward the city that you have chosen and the house that I have built for your name, 45 then hear in heaven their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause.

46 “If they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you are angry with them and give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near, 47 yet if they turn their heart in the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly,’ 48 if they repent with all their mind and with all their heart in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray to you toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city that you have chosen, and the house that I have built for your name, 49 then hear in heaven your dwelling place their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause 50 and forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions that they have committed against you, and grant them compassion in the sight of those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them 51 (for they are your people, and your heritage, which you brought out of Egypt, from the midst of the iron furnace). 52 Let your eyes be open to the plea of your servant and to the plea of your people Israel, giving ear to them whenever they call to you. 53 For you separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be your heritage, as you declared through Moses your servant, when you brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.”
Solomon's Benediction

54 Now as Solomon finished offering all this prayer and plea to the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had knelt with hands outstretched toward heaven. 55 And he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying, 56 “Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. Not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke by Moses his servant. 57 The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he not leave us or forsake us, 58 that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his rules, which he commanded our fathers. 59 Let these words of mine, with which I have pleaded before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, and may he maintain the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel, as each day requires, 60 that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other. 61 Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the Lord our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day.”
Solomon's Sacrifices

62 Then the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the Lord. 63 Solomon offered as peace offerings to the Lord 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord. 64 The same day the king consecrated the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord, for there he offered the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat pieces of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar that was before the Lord was too small to receive the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat pieces of the peace offerings.

65 So Solomon held the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great assembly, from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt, before the Lord our God, seven days. [3] 66 On the eighth day he sent the people away, and they blessed the king and went to their homes joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the Lord had shown to David his servant and to Israel his people.
Acts 7:51-8:13

51 “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, 53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”
The Stoning of Stephen

54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together [4] at him. 58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Saul Ravages the Church

8:1 And Saul approved of his execution.

And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
Philip Proclaims Christ in Samaria

4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to the city [5] of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. 6 And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was much joy in that city.
Simon the Magician Believes

9 But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. 10 They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” 11 And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles [6] performed, he was amazed.
Psalm 129
They Have Afflicted Me from My Youth
A Song of Ascents.

129:1 “Greatly [7] have they afflicted me from my youth”—
let Israel now say—
2 “Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth,
yet they have not prevailed against me.
3 The plowers plowed upon my back;
they made long their furrows.”
4 The Lord is righteous;
he has cut the cords of the wicked.
5 May all who hate Zion
be put to shame and turned backward!
6 Let them be like the grass on the housetops,
which withers before it grows up,
7 with which the reaper does not fill his hand
nor the binder of sheaves his arms,
8 nor do those who pass by say,
“The blessing of the Lord be upon you!
We bless you in the name of the Lord!”
Proverbs 17:1

17:1 Better is a dry morsel with quiet
than a house full of feasting [8] with strife.

Everyday in the Word: 10 June 2007

2007-06-10T17:00:00.000+04:00

1 Kings 7
Solomon Builds His Palace

7:1 Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished his entire house.

2 He built the House of the Forest of Lebanon. Its length was a hundred cubits [1] and its breadth fifty cubits and its height thirty cubits, and it was built on four [2] rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams on the pillars. 3 And it was covered with cedar above the chambers that were on the forty-five pillars, fifteen in each row. 4 There were window frames in three rows, and window opposite window in three tiers. 5 All the doorways and windows [3] had square frames, and window was opposite window in three tiers.

6 And he made the Hall of Pillars; its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth thirty cubits. There was a porch in front with pillars, and a canopy in front of them.

7 And he made the Hall of the Throne where he was to pronounce judgment, even the Hall of Judgment. It was finished with cedar from floor to rafters. [4]

8 His own house where he was to dwell, in the other court back of the hall, was of like workmanship. Solomon also made a house like this hall for Pharaoh's daughter whom he had taken in marriage.

9 All these were made of costly stones, cut according to measure, sawed with saws, back and front, even from the foundation to the coping, and from the outside to the great court. 10 The foundation was of costly stones, huge stones, stones of eight and ten cubits. 11 And above were costly stones, cut according to measurement, and cedar. 12 The great court had three courses of cut stone all around, and a course of cedar beams; so had the inner court of the house of the Lord and the vestibule of the house.
The Temple Furnishings

13 And King Solomon sent and brought Hiram from Tyre. 14 He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze. And he was full of wisdom, understanding, and skill for making any work in bronze. He came to King Solomon and did all his work.

15 He cast two pillars of bronze. Eighteen cubits was the height of one pillar, and a line of twelve cubits measured its circumference. It was hollow, and its thickness was four fingers. The second pillar was the same. [5] 16 He also made two capitals of cast bronze to set on the tops of the pillars. The height of the one capital was five cubits, and the height of the other capital was five cubits. 17 There were lattices of checker work with wreaths of chain work for the capitals on the tops of the pillars, a lattice [6] for the one capital and a lattice for the other capital. 18 Likewise he made pomegranates [7] in two rows around the one latticework to cover the capital that was on the top of the pillar, and he did the same with the other capital. 19 Now the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars in the vestibule were of lily-work, four cubits. 20 The capitals were on the two pillars and also above the rounded projection which was beside the latticework. There were two hundred pomegranates in two rows all around, and so with the other capital. 21 He set up the pillars at the vestibule of the temple. He set up the pillar on the south and called its name Jachin, and he set up the pillar on the north and called its name Boaz. 22 And on the tops of the pillars was lily-work. Thus the work of the pillars was finished.

23 Then he made the sea of cast metal. It was round, ten cubits from brim to brim, and five cubits high, and a line of thirty cubits measured its circumference. 24 Under its brim were gourds, for ten cubits, compassing the sea all around. The gourds were in two rows, cast with it when it was cast. 25 It stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The sea was set on them, and all their rear parts were inward. 26 Its thickness was a handbreadth, [8] and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily. It held two thousand baths. [9]

27 He also made the ten stands of bronze. Each stand was four cubits long, four cubits wide, and three cubits high. 28 This was the construction of the stands: they had panels, and the panels were set in the frames, 29 and on the panels that were set in the frames were lions, oxen, and cherubim. On the frames, both above and below the lions and oxen, there were wreaths of beveled work. 30 Moreover, each stand had four bronze wheels and axles of bronze, and at the four corners were supports for a basin. The supports were cast with wreaths at the side of each. 31 Its opening was within a crown that projected upward one cubit. Its opening was round, as a pedestal is made, a cubit and a half deep. At its opening there were carvings, and its panels were square, not round. 32 And the four wheels were underneath the panels. The axles of the wheels were of one piece with the stands, and the height of a wheel was a cubit and a half. 33 The wheels were made like a chariot wheel; their axles, their rims, their spokes, and their hubs were all cast. 34 There were four supports at the four corners of each stand. The supports were of one piece with the stands. 35 And on the top of the stand there was a round band half a cubit high; and on the top of the stand its stays and its panels were of one piece with it. 36 And on the surfaces of its stays and on its panels, he carved cherubim, lions, and palm trees, according to the space of each, with wreaths all around. 37 After this manner he made the ten stands. All of them were cast alike, of the same measure and the same form.

38 And he made ten basins of bronze. Each basin held forty baths, each basin measured four cubits, and there was a basin for each of the ten stands. 39 And he set the stands, five on the south side of the house, and five on the north side of the house. And he set the sea at the southeast corner of the house.

40 Hiram also made the pots, the shovels, and the basins. So Hiram finished all the work that he did for King Solomon on the house of the Lord: 41 the two pillars, the two bowls of the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars, and the two latticeworks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars; 42 and the four hundred pomegranates for the two latticeworks, two rows of pomegranates for each latticework, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the pillars; 43 the ten stands, and the ten basins on the stands; 44 and the one sea, and the twelve oxen underneath the sea.

45 Now the pots, the shovels, and the basins, all these vessels in the house of the Lord, which Hiram made for King Solomon, were of burnished bronze. 46 In the plain of the Jordan the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarethan. 47 And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because there were so many of them; the weight of the bronze was not ascertained.

48 So Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of the Lord: the golden altar, the golden table for the bread of the Presence, 49 the lampstands of pure gold, five on the south side and five on the north, before the inner sanctuary; the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs, of gold; 50 the cups, snuffers, basins, dishes for incense, and fire pans, of pure gold; and the sockets of gold, for the doors of the innermost part of the house, the Most Holy Place, and for the doors of the nave of the temple.

51 Thus all the work that King Solomon did on the house of the Lord was finished. And Solomon brought in the things that David his father had dedicated, the silver, the gold, and the vessels, and stored them in the treasuries of the house of the Lord.
Acts 7:30-50

30 “Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and as he drew near to look, there came the voice of the Lord: 32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and did not dare to look. 33 Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.’

35 “This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36 This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. 37 This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.’ 38 This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us. 39 Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt, 40 saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. 42 But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets:

“‘Did you bring to me slain beasts and sacrifices,
during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
43 You took up the tent of Moloch
and the star of your god Rephan,
the images that you made to worship;
and I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’

44 “Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen. 45 Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the days of David, 46 who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. [10] 47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him. 48 Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says,

49 “‘Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,
or what is the place of my rest?
50 Did not my hand make all these things?’
Psalm 128
Blessed Is Everyone Who Fears the Lord
A Song of Ascents.

128:1 Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,
who walks in his ways!
2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.

3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
around your table.
4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
who fears the Lord.

5 The Lord bless you from Zion!
May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life!
6 May you see your children's children!
Peace be upon Israel!
Proverbs 16:31-33

31 Gray hair is a crown of glory;
it is gained in a righteous life.
32 Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the Lord.

1 Peter 3:15

2007-06-10T11:59:00.000+04:00

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15

aN aWesomE eXperience

2007-06-10T10:22:00.000+04:00

Many times in my life I believe or make myself believed into something I've learned from other people. I 'go with the flow' as we say. There are also situations in which I don't respond immediately because I know I really don't get the exact point or essence of those. But last Friday, during the church service, I've had revelations from the Lord. Revelation of Himself and talked to me. Though inaudible because I believed the Holy Spirit was the one at work, I felt He communicated to me something that cleared the question that's been troubling me these days. And God let me recall in my mind these verses:

Romans10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and
believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be
saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are
justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Ephesians2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and
this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

Because of AM, I must admit, my question on Jesus' deity had been fueled by his non-stop depicting of Jesus' questionable position as being the Lord. To riposte his belief, I researched quite seriously to point out to him that he is wrong. Becoming busy gathering proofs of my belief, I forgot the faith that is one of the factors that saved me from eternal death. The grace of God, His gift of salvation is the reason why He had chosen me to be saved. And without acknowledging His Son's blood at the cross to redeem me from my sins, I will not be saved. Yes, I wrote in one of my posts that I met Christ when I was third year high school, but did I since then did not doubt of His majesty and power to saved me from Hell in where I rightfully belong? I am admitting that I have questions as to the how's and why's of Jesus' and the Bible contains the information I needed. But it is only bounded in my mind, because I just know these things. But did I believed wholeheartedly? I don't want to boast in the eyes of our Lord because even if I don't speak on such matters, I know my heart contains doubts and fears, but then, our Lord is overflowing with grace and mercy that He didn't allow me to forever endure the troubling thoughts inside my head. The answers are in the Bible. God's revelation of Himself is there. And salvation comes when we acknowledge the truth that He laid before us. The trinity is so hard to comprehend with the human mind but it is only by faith we can grasp it. Mystery it is but is there any verse that points out there's no such thing as trinity in the Bible? Many had already tried to oppose the truth but God is at work. He had laid the truth already. Now I know the primary truth, I believed on it with all my mind, heart and soul. There are many things I still ought to learn through the word and push the complacency out of me.

Every Day In the Word:June 9

2007-06-09T13:46:00.000+04:00

1 Kings 5-6
Preparations for Building the Temple

5:1 [1] Now Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon when he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, for Hiram always loved David. 2 And Solomon sent word to Hiram, 3 “You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of the Lord his God because of the warfare with which his enemies surrounded him, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet. 4 But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side. There is neither adversary nor misfortune. 5 And so I intend to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord said to David my father, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, shall build the house for my name.’ 6 Now therefore command that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. And my servants will join your servants, and I will pay you for your servants such wages as you set, for you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.”

7 As soon as Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the Lord this day, who has given to David a wise son to be over this great people.” 8 And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, “I have heard the message that you have sent to me. I am ready to do all you desire in the matter of cedar and cypress timber. 9 My servants shall bring it down to the sea from Lebanon, and I will make it into rafts to go by sea to the place you direct. And I will have them broken up there, and you shall receive it. And you shall meet my wishes by providing food for my household.” 10 So Hiram supplied Solomon with all the timber of cedar and cypress that he desired, 11 while Solomon gave Hiram 20,000 cors [2] of wheat as food for his household, and 20,000 [3] cors of beaten oil. Solomon gave this to Hiram year by year. 12 And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty.

13 King Solomon drafted forced labor out of all Israel, and the draft numbered 30,000 men. 14 And he sent them to Lebanon, 10,000 a month in shifts. They would be a month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the draft. 15 Solomon also had 70,000 burden-bearers and 80,000 stonecutters in the hill country, 16 besides Solomon's 3,300 chief officers who were over the work, who had charge of the people who carried on the work. 17 At the king's command they quarried out great, costly stones in order to lay the foundation of the house with dressed stones. 18 So Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and the men of Gebal did the cutting and prepared the timber and the stone to build the house.
Solomon Builds the Temple

6:1 In the four hundred and eightieth year after the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month, he began to build the house of the Lord. 2 The house that King Solomon built for the Lord was sixty cubits [4] long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high. 3 The vestibule in front of the nave of the house was twenty cubits long, equal to the width of the house, and ten cubits deep in front of the house. 4 And he made for the house windows with recessed frames. [5] 5 He also built a structure [6] against the wall of the house, running around the walls of the house, both the nave and the inner sanctuary. And he made side chambers all around. 6 The lowest story [7] was five cubits broad, the middle one was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad. For around the outside of the house he made offsets on the wall in order that the supporting beams should not be inserted into the walls of the house.

7 When the house was built, it was with stone prepared at the quarry, so that neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron was heard in the house while it was being built.

8 The entrance for the lowest [8] story was on the south side of the house, and one went up by stairs to the middle story, and from the middle story to the third. 9 So he built the house and finished it, and he made the ceiling of the house of beams and planks of cedar. 10 He built the structure against the whole house, five cubits high, and it was joined to the house with timbers of cedar.

11 Now the word of the Lord came to Solomon, 12 “Concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father. 13 And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my people Israel.”

14 So Solomon built the house and finished it. 15 He lined the walls of the house on the inside with boards of cedar. From the floor of the house to the walls of the ceiling, he covered them on the inside with wood, and he covered the floor of the house with boards of cypress. 16 He built twenty cubits of the rear of the house with boards of cedar from the floor to the walls, and he built this within as an inner sanctuary, as the Most Holy Place. 17 The house, that is, the nave in front of the inner sanctuary, was forty cubits long. 18 The cedar within the house was carved in the form of gourds and open flowers. All was cedar; no stone was seen. 19 The inner sanctuary he prepared in the innermost part of the house, to set there the ark of the covenant of the Lord. 20 The inner sanctuary [9] was twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high, and he overlaid it with pure gold. He also overlaid [10] an altar of cedar. 21 And Solomon overlaid the inside of the house with pure gold, and he drew chains of gold across, in front of the inner sanctuary, and overlaid it with gold. 22 And he overlaid the whole house with gold, until all the house was finished. Also the whole altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary he overlaid with gold.

23 In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olivewood, each ten cubits high. 24 Five cubits was the length of one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the length of the other wing of the cherub; it was ten cubits from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other. 25 The other cherub also measured ten cubits; both cherubim had the same measure and the same form. 26 The height of one cherub was ten cubits, and so was that of the other cherub. 27 He put the cherubim in the innermost part of the house. And the wings of the cherubim were spread out so that a wing of one touched the one wall, and a wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; their other wings touched each other in the middle of the house. 28 And he overlaid the cherubim with gold.

29 Around all the walls of the house he carved engraved figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, in the inner and outer rooms. 30 The floor of the house he overlaid with gold in the inner and outer rooms.

31 For the entrance to the inner sanctuary he made doors of olivewood; the lintel and the doorposts were five-sided. [11] 32 He covered the two doors of olivewood with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers. He overlaid them with gold and spread gold on the cherubim and on the palm trees.

33 So also he made for the entrance to the nave doorposts of olivewood, in the form of a square, 34 and two doors of cypress wood. The two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding. 35 On them he carved cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, and he overlaid them with gold evenly applied on the carved work. 36 He built the inner court with three courses of cut stone and one course of cedar beams.

37 In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid, in the month of Ziv. 38 And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished in all its parts, and according to all its specifications. He was seven years in building it.
Acts 7:1-29
Stephen's Speech

7:1 And the high priest said, “Are these things so?” 2 And Stephen said:

“Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, 3 and said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you.’ 4 Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. And after his father died, God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living. 5 Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length, but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him, though he had no child. 6 And God spoke to this effect—that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred years. 7 ‘But I will judge the nation that they serve,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place.’ 8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.

9 “And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him 10 and rescued him out of all his afflictions and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. 11 Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food. 12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers on their first visit. 13 And on the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to Pharaoh. 14 And Joseph sent and summoned Jacob his father and all his kindred, seventy-five persons in all. 15 And Jacob went down into Egypt, and he died, he and our fathers, 16 and they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

17 “But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt 18 until there arose over Egypt another king who did not know Joseph. 19 He dealt shrewdly with our race and forced our fathers to expose their infants, so that they would not be kept alive. 20 At this time Moses was born; and he was beautiful in God's sight. And he was brought up for three months in his father's house, 21 and when he was exposed, Pharaoh's daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. 22 And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds.

23 “When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel. 24 And seeing one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. 25 He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not understand. 26 And on the following day he appeared to them as they were quarreling and tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why do you wrong each other?’ 27 But the man who was wronging his neighbor thrust him aside, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ 29 At this retort Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.
Psalm 127
Unless the Lord Builds the House
A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.

127:1 Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.
2 It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.

3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children [12] of one's youth.
5 Blessed is the man
who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate. [13]
Proverbs 16:28-30

28 A dishonest man spreads strife,
and a whisperer separates close friends.
29 A man of violence entices his neighbor
and leads him in a way that is not good.
30 Whoever winks his eyes plans [14] dishonest things;
he who purses his lips brings evil to pass.
.

tALk to mE...

2007-06-07T10:45:00.000+04:00

Chris, my bestfriend- best buddy - boyfriend, and I talked last night. I shared to him my thoughts about this friend of mine in the office which I am praying to be won for Christ. Really, I'm serious in praying for Him. But you see, this officemate of mine has an idea of a logical explanation who God is. Much of the officemate, (let's call him 'AM' to refer to him, for easier typing also). Well, I am just talking regarding AM with Chris and I dunno how come he thought that I am facing it by my own, winning AM by my 'own understandng'?

AM indirectly challenges me and encourages me to know the God I believe into in a much deeper level. I am not in a so called logical pursuit of Him, or explain Him, rather explain my belief. I just want to know Him so that when there will come a time that I meet someone who is eager to know our Lord, I could tell this person how great and magnificent our God is! Chris somehow took it as I am 'relying alone on my own understanding' of who God is, what can He do, and how will He work. I am a little offended of what he is trying to say. I am not lacking of faith nor changing the way I see the Lord in a negative way, but I am just trying to improve my relationship with Him.

Yes, I do study doctrinal topics now about the Bible, because I believe I need and I must know these things because I believe on these things!

Well, I got his point. Reality is, there's a small part of me which tells I should study the doctrines so I can have answers on AM's questions. But it's not entirely because of that. OK. Yeah, sorry Lord, for my conceitedness. My heart's content should get rid of even tiny bit of presumptuousness. I don't want my witnessing to AM to be purely doctrinal because we will just argue or even debate on our beliefs which is the least thing I would want to happen.

I think I shall highlight first my relationship to the Lord. I mean, if really I am a believer and a follower of Jesus' examples, I should strive to be better and let people see that what I am talking about are the things that I applied in my life. My life should be a good testimony so that I won't contradict what I tell to people.

To have a deep relationship with the Lord should be like a way to know him and to know how He did things in Godly way and to be eager to follow His examples. Not just only to have a ready answer for someone who has questions about Christ or the Bible, rather, how Jesus change my attitude, my perception, my heart, my whole life!

ESV Bible Online

2007-06-07T10:36:00.000+04:00

Hi peeps! Just came across this website that I find very helpful for the followers of Christ Jesus our Lord to dwell in everyday. The title of the link is Everyday in the Word. I opt to post it here in my blog the daily texts from the Scriptures featured in ESV instead of the RSS Feed alone. Let's say I would love to keep a daily tract of which part of the Bible I already read.

I hope you guys may find it also interesting. I will still continue to post for my daily devotionals as it is still important to speak about how the Word of God communicated to me.

Every Day In the Word : God's Instructions

2007-06-07T10:25:00.000+04:00

1 Kings 2:1-3:3
David's Instructions to Solomon

2:1 When David's time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying, 2 “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, 3 and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, 4 that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack [1] a man on the throne of Israel.’. 5 “Moreover, you also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with the two commanders of the armies of Israel, Abner the son of Ner, and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, avenging [2] in time of peace for blood that had been shed in war, and putting the blood of war [3] on the belt around his [4] waist and on the sandals on his feet. 6 Act therefore according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace. 7 But deal loyally with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for with such loyalty [5] they met me when I fled from Absalom your brother. 8 And there is also with you Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse on the day when I went to Mahanaim. But when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’ 9 Now therefore do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man. You will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall bring his gray head down with blood to Sheol.”
The Death of David

10 Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David. 11 And the time that David reigned over Israel was forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 12 So Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established.
Solomon's Reign Established

13 Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, “Do you come peacefully?” He said, “Peacefully.” 14 Then he said, “I have something to say to you.” She said, “Speak.” 15 He said, “You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel fully expected me to reign. However, the kingdom has turned about and become my brother's, for it was his from the Lord. 16 And now I have one request to make of you; do not refuse me.” She said to him, “Speak.” 17 And he said, “Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.” 18 Bathsheba said, “Very well; I will speak for you to the king.”

19 So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. And the king rose to meet her and bowed down to her. Then he sat on his throne and had a seat brought for the king's mother, and she sat on his right. 20 Then she said, “I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me.” And the king said to her, “Make your request, my mother, for I will not refuse you.” 21 She said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as his wife.” 22 King Solomon answered his mother, “And why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also, for he is my older brother, and on his side are Abiathar [6] the priest and Joab the son of Zeruiah.” 23 Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, “God do so to me and more also if this word does not cost Adonijah his life! 24 Now therefore as the Lord lives, who has established me and placed me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today.” 25 So King Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he struck him down, and he died.

26 And to Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to Anathoth, to your estate, for you deserve death. But I will not at this time put you to death, because you carried the ark of the Lord God before David my father, and because you shared in all my father's affliction.” 27 So Solomon expelled Abiathar from being priest to the Lord, thus fulfilling the word of the Lord that he had spoken concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.

28 When the news came to Joab—for Joab had supported Adonijah although he had not supported Absalom—Joab fled to the tent of the Lord and caught hold of the horns of the altar. 29 And when it was told King Solomon, “Joab has fled to the tent of the Lord, and behold, he is beside the altar,” Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, strike him down.” 30 So Benaiah came to the tent of the Lord and said to him, “The king commands, ‘Come out.’” But he said, “No, I will die here.” Then Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, “Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.” 31 The king replied to him, “Do as he has said, strike him down and bury him, and thus take away from me and from my father's house the guilt for the blood that Joab shed without cause. 32 The Lord will bring back his bloody deeds on his own head, because, without the knowledge of my father David, he attacked and killed with the sword two men more righteous and better than himself, Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. 33 So shall their blood come back on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants forever. But for David and for his descendants and for his house and for his throne there shall be peace from the Lord forevermore.” 34 Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and struck him down and put him to death. And he was buried in his own house in the wilderness. 35 The king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada over the army in place of Joab, and the king put Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar.

36 Then the king sent and summoned Shimei and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and dwell there, and do not go out from there to any place whatever. 37 For on the day you go out and cross the brook Kidron, know for certain that you shall die. Your blood shall be on your own head.” 38 And Shimei said to the king, “What you say is good; as my lord the king has said, so will your servant do.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days.

39 But it happened at the end of three years that two of Shimei's servants ran away to Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. And when it was told Shimei, “Behold, your servants are in Gath,” 40 Shimei arose and saddled a donkey and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants. Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath. 41 And when Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and returned, 42 the king sent and summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the Lord and solemnly warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you go out and go to any place whatever, you shall die’? And you said to me, ‘What you say is good; I will obey.’ 43 Why then have you not kept your oath to the Lord and the commandment with which I commanded you?” 44 The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your own heart all the harm that you did to David my father. So the Lord will bring back your harm on your own head. 45 But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord forever.” 46 Then the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck him down, and he died.

So the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.
Solomon's Prayer for Wisdom

3:1 Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt. He took Pharaoh's daughter and brought her into the city of David until he had finished building his own house and the house of the Lord and the wall around Jerusalem. 2 The people were sacrificing at the high places, however, because no house had yet been built for the name of the Lord.

3 Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father, only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places.
Acts 5
Ananias and Sapphira

5:1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” 5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.

7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you [7] sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” 9 But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.
Many Signs and Wonders Done

12 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico. 13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
The Apostles Arrested and Freed

17 But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy 18 they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” 21 And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.

Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council and all the senate of the people of Israel and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22 But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, 23 “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside.” 24 Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to. 25 And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” 26 Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

33 When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. 34 But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. 36 For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38 So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice, 40 and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
Psalm 125
The Lord Surrounds His People
A Song of Ascents.

125:1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the Lord surrounds his people,
from this time forth and forevermore.
3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
on the land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous stretch out
their hands to do wrong.
4 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
and to those who are upright in their hearts!
5 But those who turn aside to their crooked ways
the Lord will lead away with evildoers!
Peace be upon Israel!
Proverbs 16:25

25 There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death. [8]
.

John 8:12

2007-06-06T14:05:00.001+04:00

JOHN 8: 12

12Nang magkagayon, nagsalitang muli si Jesus sa kanila. Sinabi niya: Ako ang ilaw ng sanlibutan. Siya na sumusunod sa akin ay hindi lalakad kailanman sa kadiliman. Siya ay magkakaroon ng ilaw ng buhay.

12When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Following the Light

The scripture is taken from the Book of John in which the chapter is titled ‘The Validity of Jesus’ Testimony’. My aim for today’s devotion is to highlight the 12th verse. The Lord Jesus is proclaiming Himself as the Light of the World. The One who brings the right path towards an eternal life.

First , what does it mean when Jesus said “Light of the World”?

The world, we might say, is the reality going outside and maybe inside our very own home. On the other hand, world that is physical, or the world in its connotative meaning, means the people who are living, including you and I. According to WORDWEB, my fave online dictionary, world means:

• Everything that exists anywhere
• All of your experiences that determine how things appear to you
e.g. his world was shattered"; "we live in different worlds"
• The 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
E.g. "he sailed around the world"
• People in general considered as a whole
• A part of the earth that can be considered separately
e.g. "the outdoor world"; "the world of insects"
• The concerns of this life as distinguished from heaven and the afterlife
e.g. "they consider the church to be independent of the world"
• All of the living human inhabitants of the earth
e.g. "the entire world loves a lover"
• Involving the entire earth; not limited or provincial in scope
e.g. "a world crisis"

The passage is more likely referring to all the living humans on the earth. To support this is His second statement that goes ‘whoever follows me’, pertaining to the people who have his or her own free will to follow the Light. These people who can either choose to remain in the dark or have the Light of life which also means an eternal life. (John 3:16, ‘whoever follows the begotten Son of God will never perish but will have eternal life’.)

How will I apply it in my daily living? Maybe I should answer how to follow Lord Jesus, in the light of my work and situations I am facing right now.

Currently, I am getting somehow bored of my work. I am practically doing nothing, not because I am lazy, but because there’s no so much work to do. Besides, my bosses sometimes ignore my suggestions. So, what am I to do? Argh.

And now I am again thinking, what am I good at? I wish I am in the right place, exerting my efforts on the right company, maximizing my potentials with the pool of excellent people. What am I doing here in this kind of company who doesn’t even value on a professional looking business card? Argh.
I don’t want anymore to grope in the dark… I don’t want to guess or even to mi-ni-mi-ni- mi ni mo my next career move. Please Lord, shed me some light.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

Right, I should give God my trust! Wholeheartedly! This is what he instructed me to do! Because I now am starting to doubt what He is planning to do on me, I am, naturally begin to be impatient! Awww.. the natural Ice is getting bored and is quitting… Do I want myself to be called a quitter? Just for my comfort and stability?

I’ve thought of these questions because before this job, I have other offers. And there are zillions of better companies in which I could work for rather than this one. But this is the challenge. Do I really trust my God wholeheartedly to not lean on my own understanding, apprehensions, intellect, reasons, interpretations, perception, realization that He planned for me to where exactly am I???

Wholeheartedly is defined as characterized by unreserved enthusiasm, passion, or commitment. No reservations! With enthusiasm! With passion! With commitment! Passionately, unreservedly, totally, unstintingly, unequivocally, one hundred percent, unswervingly, committedly.

Questions!

1. Do I trust God with a great enthusiasm and also, am I excited in what He’s going to do with my life?
2. Do I trust God with a real passion? Trusting Him alone 100 percent?
3. Am I committed on trusting Him?

If I follow Him, I will never walk in darkness. Why is it I still stumble? Still feel lost and don’t know what to do with my life? Careers to pursue? Priorities to concentrate? Simply because I am not following Him faithfully everyday of my life and because I am not trusting Him wholeheartedly. Yes, I did accept Him to be my Lord and Savior but to the other things in my life, I still cling on those not yet surrendered part of me. Which I think is my impatience and being stubborn and trusting Him only 99 percent. Not 100 percent. Argh!

If I don’t want to feel lost anymore, He has solution with this. Trust Him 100%, don’t let any human, confined and limited mind overshadow things that God can do and He will make my path straight. He will reveal things to me. Clearly. If I will just trust Him and His instructions and don’t doubt, not even a miniscule, He will guide me towards His original plan for me, which is to prosper me, to give me hope and future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Weaknesses Part I

2007-06-04T08:48:00.000+04:00

Dumadalaw na naman sa akin ang mga negatibong mga kaisipan. Negatibo ba o realidad? Hndi ko na alam. Sabi nila, para daw malaman mo kung ano ka at ang paraan sa kung paano mo ia-asess ang sarili mo, magsimula ka sa mga weaknesses mo... Ano nga ba ang mga weaknesses ko?

1. Antukin.
Ang pahinga daw ay para sa mga taong nahahapo lamang. Hindi naman ako pagod lagi
pero parang feeling ko adik ako sa tulog.

2. Walang Disiplina.
Magse-set ako ng mga rules para sa sarili ko na hindi ko naman nasusunod. Gaya ng
devotion. Arrgh! Sabi nga sa 'Romans 5:3-4

'because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character;
and character, hope. '

... at... okey... wala ng anumang contention and i admit na I'm really wrong and
actually, I know how to start, I know how to be disciplined yet I neglect to do
what is right. Sabi nga ng isang maxim:

“Sow an act, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a
destiny.”

to be continued...

wanted: perfect boss!

2007-06-03T10:38:00.000+04:00

Boring ang work. Pero sabi nila wag ka ng magreklamo at magpasalamat ka na lamang sa kung anong meron ka ngayon. Actually, grateful naman ako sa work ko. Kaso lang, nalulungkot ako kasi I don't feel productive. Natatapos ang araw na surf lang ako ng surf sa internet. Nalulungkot ako kasi sineswelduhan ako ng malaki para tumambay sa office at tignan ang monitor ng PC ko, at kapag napagod titigan naman ang ceiling. Ang ganda ganda ng office. Oks na oks ang premise ng aming TV network. Kaso hindi patok! Ang prayer request ko na lang po ngayon ay sana magkaroon kami ng Marketing Manager na:

1. sobrang galing mag-lead ng tao
2. May alam talaga sa TV hindi katulad ni unanong Mr. Sunil na mukang m***ac!!! Buti na lang tlga wala na siya dito ngayon!
3. Isang taong na tipong aggressive at magpapaintindi sa aming mga boss na kailangan ng matinding pag-aaral ng Market at isang masusing research para umunlad at magbunga ang isang negosyo, kahit ano pa ito.
4. hindi uubra sa kanya ang pwede na... sana, perfectionist! para matuto naman ako sa kanya.

Ewan ko kung masochista ako, duda ko hindi naman, pero eto talaga ang ideal boss ko.

cool nitong video nito... bago ng microsoft...

2007-06-03T09:28:00.000+04:00

written by my bestfriend best buddy boyfriend. glory be to the King!

2007-05-31T08:16:00.000+04:00

Sa mga mkakatanggap ng sulat na ito, i-print mo ito at ibahagi sa
kapatiran, papurihan ang Panginoon sa pag-kilos nya sa lahat ng dako.

Araw-araw, ibat't ibang bagay ang nararanasan naming dito sa Dubai,
isang lugar na malayo sa piling nyo, kakaiba, kagulat-gulat at minsan
ay malungkot na istorya ang naririnig niyo mula dito, subalit higit sa
mga ito, mayroon ding di mabilang na kuwento ng pagpapala ang hindi pa
naisasalaysay sa inyo. Hayaan niyong simulan ko ang kuwento ng di
natatapos na pagpapala ng Diyos sa buhay namn dito.

Maraming magandang bagay sa Pilipinas, kapag nagsipag ka sa trabaho
siguradong may perang darating sa' iyo. Negosyante man o empleyado,
siguradong makakaraos din ang bawat araw mo. Simpleng simple,
pagkatapos ng nakakapagod na trabaho, okay lang kasi pag-uwi mo,
siguradong may pamilyang nag-aabang para sa'yo at salu-salo kayong
kakain ng hapunan. Kapag Sabado o Linggo, pwedeng gumala at magsimba
kasama ang pamilya… Pwede na… Yan ang sabi ko. Di ko na kailangan
umalis ng bansa, simple lang naman ang kinabukasan na gusto ko. Kaya
lang sa tuwing katapusan, isang araw lang nagiging masaya, nagsisimula
ng humarap sa amin ang Bill ng kuryente at tubig, hindi naman
kalakihan ang nakokonsumo namin, kaya lang halos sakto lang sa
kinikita namin para sa bayarin. Maya't maya ay sinisilip ko ang
lagayan ng pera – unti unting nababawasan, nauubos… Ang buong isang
libong papel kapag nabaryahan na, naku! Siguradong mamaya lang ay ubos
na. Kahit kailan hindi kami pinababayaan ng Panginoon, araw-araw
literal naming nararanasan ang pagkilos ng Panginoon. Isang bagay ang
aking napag-isipan. Tanong ng ilang kakilala at kapamilya… "Hindi ka
ba mag-aabroad?" Yan ang tanong nila. 'Hindi pa po, paghahandaan ko po
muna siguro.' Muli kong sinulyapan ang aking taguan ng pera, kinuha ko
at binilang, wala pang sampung segundo tapos na bilang ko, di man lang
nagtagal. Napaisip ako, mukhang wala akong naiipon, hindi naman ako
maluho o palabili. Halos wala pang isang libo ang naitatabi ko sa
mahigit na pitong buwan ngpagtatrabaho ko. Anong nangyari? San na
napunta sweldo ko? Ahhhhhh! Sweldo ko… Sweldo ko san ka nagpunta?!

Alam ko nung mga panahon na yun di ko man makita ang ipon ko na
inaasahan ko, ang katibayan ng pagpapala ng Panginoon ay nakapaligid
nga pala sa buong bahay namin. Sa pamamagitan ng Panginoon at
pagtutulungan namin ng aking ama't ina at kapatid, TV, Ref, DVD at iba
pa ang nagsilbing paalala ng katapatan ng Diyos sa amin. Kahit kailan
laging naisin ng Panginoon sa atin ay young Da Best, laging yung
pinaka… hindi ko lang alam kung bakit natin pinipili lagi yung simple,
yug pwede na… Buti na lang mabait ang Panginoon dahl higit pa sa
inaasahan natin ang nais niyang ibigay sa atin. Binalikan ko ang
tanong sa akin… 'Wala ka bang balak mag-abroad?' Wala pa yung sagot
ko… Minsan pa nag-isip ako at muling sinulyapan ang ipon… wala pa rin…
Nanalangin, nanalangin at nag-abang. Naikwento ko itong pinag-iisipan
ko kay Aiza (Gf). Kinuwento nya nagbabalak siyang mangibang bansa
upang tumulong sa Ate niya para sa pamilya nila. Naisip ko na lang…
buti pa siya… Makalipas ang ilang araw,naisip ko na bakit hindi pa
kaya ako sumabay sa kanya, pwede naman… kahit saan talaga gumagawa ng
paraan ang Panginoon… Tapos na ang pag-iisip, gusto ko ng mag-abroad,
sa Dubai, excited na ako, pati ama't ina at kapatid ko saka si Aiza
excited na… kaya lang… yung… yung… bulsa ko hindi excited, walang
laman, wala talaga, kaya simula naman ng bagong prayer item… 'Lord,
gawan nyo po ng paraan upang magkaroon ako ng pamasahe at pocket money
papuntang Dubai. Nagsimula akong makarinig ng magagandang kuwento
tungkol sa mga trabaho sa Dubai, ang laki daw ng sweldo sa Dubai,
minsan doble, minsan triple ng sweldo natin sa Pinas. Napakaraming
kuwento rin ng mga di pinalad sa Dubai, mga inabot na ng isang taon
wala pa rng pirmihang trabaho at di makauwi sa Pinas. Hindi katagalan,
sumagot ang Diyos at may nagpahiram sa amin ng pera pamasahe at iba
pang kailangan. Kumilos din ang Panginoon at may tumulong sa akin na
kakilala (ngayo'y kaibigan) sa Dubai, sila ang nag-sponsor sa amin ng
Visa at matutuluyan pagdating sa Dubai. Hanggang sa takdang oras ng
pag-alis ko sa Pinas, sari-sari, kaliwa't kanan ang natanggap kong
tulong mula sa mga kaibigan lalong lalo na sa mga kapamiya ko. Damit,
gamot, pera, at makabuluhang mga paalala at higit sa lahat ang mga
panalangin ng mga pamilya ko sa simbahan (TBC), maging ng ilang mga
malapit na kaibigan sa BAFEM.

Hindi lang maleta ko ang punong puno, maging ang puso ko ay
nag-uumapaw sa lahat ng mga pabaon nyo sa amin.

Sa mga gusto mag-break muna, yung gustong uminom o kumuha ng pagkain o
yung mga naiiihi na, sige break time muna tayo bago ko ikwento ang
pagtungtong namin ng Dubai…

Oh, ano? Tapos na? Ang bilis naman… sige tuloy ko na ang kwento…
Ooppss Teka… sabi ng utak ko ikwento ko muna kung saan ako nanggaling
bago ko pagpatuloy ang sulat na ito. Nakaupo ako ngayon sa kama,
nagpapahinga, kagagaling ko lang sa Kish Island sa Iran, nag-exit ako.
Yan ang tawag pagtapos na yung visit visa mo dito sa Dubai at kukuha
ka na uli ng bagong visa mo for 2 months. Pero sa katulad ko,
nag-exit ako para sa Employment Visa ko. Ibig sabihin, pwede na kong
magwork sa Dubai ng maraming taon. (para ito sa kaalaman ng mga nasa
Pinas). Ayan nasabi ko na, itutuloy ko na ang kwento.

Kahit napanuod ko na ang pelikulang Dubai, at tinitigan ko na ang mga
larawan ng mga taong nagpunta sa Dubai, napakaraming bagay pa rin ang
bumubuo sa imahinasyon ko sa hitsura ng Dubai.

(Mapapansin nyong iba na ang daloy ng kwento ko kumpara sa simula ng
sulat na ito.)

Hongkong muna kami bago Dubai. Wow! Ang laki ng Airport ng Dubai, ang
ganda! Ang lawak! Ang saya… Medyo malungkot, malayo na ako sa walang
katulagd na bayan ko, mahal na Pilipinas. First time ko makasakay ng
eroplano, ang sarap ng feeling, di ko nga lang alam ang lasa. Sa loob
ng airport, may ilang Question and Answer Portion parang sa
Immigration sa Pinas. Isang mabilisang panalangin muna bago ako
humarap sa taga-tanong. Tinanong ako! 'What is your name?' Ayos! Buti
na lang alam ko ang pangalan ko. Tinanong yung address ng titirhan ko…
lagot! Di ko kabisado, idinikta na lang sa akin ng sinundan kong
kaibigan. Okay na, WELCOME TO DUBAI. Gabi yata o madaling araw kami
dumating kaya lang ramdam na namin ang init ng panahon dito. May
sasakyang sumundo sa amin mula sa Airport at hinatid kami sa munting
bahay na kasya ang humigit kumulang na 10 tao. Kumain kami at
nagpahinga. Sumunod na araw, nagmagandang loob ang pinsan ni Aiza na
i-xerox kami ng napakaraming Resume na maari naming ipasa sa mga
Company. (Sa katunayan, inaasahan ko na literal na maikukuha agad kami
ng trabaho, subalit di pala ganun, tutulungan pala kami sa paghahanap
ng trabaho, hindi ikukuha).

Araw-araw masipag nilang ipinapasa ang resume namin sa mga fax numbers
na kinukuha namin mula sa Diyaryo at Phone Directory. Kami naman nila
Aiza ay nagpapasa sa pamamagitan ng e-mail dahil ito ang karaniwang
paraan upang makakuha ng trabaho. Nag-walk-in din kami sa iba't ibang
kompanya sa mga buildings. Makalipas ang isang linggo, makakasiguro
ako na lagpas na sa 100 na kumpanya ang napagpasahan namin ng resume.
Nanalangin kami at naghintay, makalipas ang ilang araw ay nakatanggap
ng isang tawag si Aiza para sa interview. Sumabay na 'kami'(kapatid ni
Aiza na kasama rin naming pumunta ng Dubai) sa kanya at nagpasa sa
kalapit kumpanya. Mga ilang linggo pa ay unti-unti na naming
nakasanayan ang buhay dito, mula sa mga kalye, sakayan, bus, taxi, at
amoy ng mga Indiano (Pana) at Pakistan (Pakistani) na nakakasalubong
namin. Sa mga sumunod pang mga araw may mga ilan pang tawag ang
natanggap ni Aiza para sa interview, mukhang puro sa kanya na lang
yata. Bakit wala pa para sa akin. Sa bagay, Magna Cum Laude nga pala
siya. Sumunod, nagkaroon siya ng interview at agarang pinagsimula for
training, ako wala pa din. Walang nagrerespond sa mga pinasahan ko. Ok
lang mahaba pa naman ang panahon. Sinubukan kong magpasa sa kumpanya
na nagte-training si Aiza, kinabukasan pinag-training din ako
pagkatapos ng maikling interview. After two days, wag na raw akong
magtraining. Si Aiza na lang daw. Balik uli ako sa paghahanap ng
trabaho at pag-aabang ng tawag. Si Aiza naman,kahit may training na,
may mga tumatawag pa rin at nagpapasa pa rin siya ng resume. Ng
puntong ito dala ng aking pagka-inip at pagka-inggit, medyo nainis na
ako sa kanya, ang tingin ko noon sa kanya ay sobrang Bibo, lahat ng
interview pinupuntahan, lahat sinusubukan, kahit may training na sige
pa rin ng sige. Napakapursigido niyang makakuha ng mahusay at
maasahang trabaho. Inggit na inggit ako nun. Nalungkot ako at medyo
nanghina, nawalan ng ganang maghanap g trabaho, wala namang nagrerespond.

Ano bang ginagawa ko dito sa Dubai? Bilang ang bawat araw dito na
walang trabaho, mga araw na unti-unti ng nauubos ang pocket money para
sa dalawang buwan. Tama ba ang desisyon kong magpunta sa Dubai? May
kasiguraduhan ba ang kinabukasan ko dito?

Naalala ko ang bahag ng Bible Study namin sa G3 nila Pastor Erwin, isa
sa mga pinakamusay na desisyon sa buhay ay yung desisyon na hindi
sigurado, walang kumpletong plano, planong hindi plantsado. Madalas sa
atin hindi natin pipiliin ang ganitong klaseng desisyon. Mahirap
mangahas, masyadong illogical gawin ang bagay na di mo alam ang
mangyayari. Sinong tao ang tatalon sa isang balon na hindi mo alam ang
hangganan. Technically, hindi pwede ang ganitong klaseng desisyon,
hindi praktikal. Hindi biro ang humiram ng libo-libong pera at umuwi
sa Pilipinas na butas ang bulsa. Ang desisyonh pinili ko, alam kong
alam ninyo na, na di ito lubusang sigurado. Subalit alam na alam ko na
sa butas kong desisyon, may malaking lugar ang Panginoon para
kumilos., gumawa at ipamalas ang walang tigil niyang pagpapala. Ito
ang mahusay na desisyon na maaring kumilos ang Panginoon, sa ating
Pananalangin at pagtitiwala sa Kanya, makakaasa kang ang kinabukasan
mo at ng pamilya mo ay hawak Niya. At bakit nga ba ako malulungkot?
Bakit ako manghihina? Sabi ng pangako ng Diyos, 'Tumawag ka at
diringgin kita, at aking ipapamalas sa iyo ang mga bagay na higit pa
sa inaasahan mo'. Mula sa Pinas, baon namin ang panalangin ng buong
simbahan maging sa mga taga-Bafem may nanalangin, pati aking pamilya.
Sabihin mo sa akin, sinong tatalo sa kapangyarihan ng ating Panginoon.
Pagkatapos mabuksan ang isip ko, kinabukasan nakatanggap ako ng tawag
para sa isang interview. Yehey!! Eto na 'to!Kinuha ko yung address at
pinuntahan ko. Sa interview, british ang nakausap ko sa Advertising
Company. Kaya lang 10 years experience daw ang hanap nila. Tinignan
niya ang ilan sa mga gawa ko, di niya type, parang baguhan daw. So
iyon ang unang interview ko. Ok lang. Mabait naman siyang magsalita at
marahan niyang sinabi… 'you're not the one we're looking for…
goodbye…' Pagkalabas ng building, may tumawag sa akin na intereview
daw. Ngayon na agad. Nang tinanong ko yung lugar, hindi ko alam. Medyo
malayo yata. sabi ko tomorrow na lang. Pumayag naman para daw
makapagtanong ako paano pumunta dun. Kinabukasan nakabihis na ko at
paalis nam tumawag ang mag-iinterview at sinabing wala daw ang
pinaka-mag iinterview sa akin. Nasa Singapore daw at nasa meeting. So
sabi niya next week na lang daw. After 30 minutes, di na siya
nakapagpigil, tinawagan niya ako at siya na daw ang mag-iinterview sa
akin. Muli akong nagbihis at nagdala ng Resume. Oo, ako ang may dala
ng resume, wala siyang kopya ng resume ko at di ko alam kung paano
niya nalaman ang cellphone number ko. Pagdating sa interview, masaya
siya. Tinanong ako kung ako kung ano ang dati kong trabaho, at kung
paano ako nagtatrabaho, sinagot ko ang tanong niya at maya maya
tinanong niya ako kung marunong daw akong tumugtog ng instrumento.
Sabi ko marunong, keyboards at drums. Sabi niya nakita daw niya ang
blog ko sa internet (parang small website) at nakita niya na member
ako ng prais team. (www.portfolio.dave.blogspot.com) sab ko lang Yes.
Pagkatapos nun tinanong ako kung handa akong iwanan ang pag-dedesign.
Sabi ko, ito ang pinakahilig ko pero handa naman akong sumubok ng mga
bagong bagay. Ilalagay daw nya ako sa Marketing Department. Tinanong
niya ako ng inaasahan kong salary, sinabi ko na gusto ko yung gusto ko
at tinapatan niya ng higit pa sa expected ko. Bago matapos ang
interview, magsimula na daw ako ng training for 1 week. Sobrang iba sa
alam kong trabaho pero may mga ilang design pa rin akong ginagawa.
Pagkalipas ng ilang araw, nalaman ko na lang na Born Again pala yung
boss ko, naririnig ko siyang kumakanta ng Christian Song, tinanong ko
kung bakit alam nya yon, sabi nya bakit hindi, 'eh Born Again ako'.
Nang dumating yung pinaka-boss, ininterview uli ako at finally,
official na akong tinanggap sa company. Ng sumunod na araw, pumirma na
ako ng contract. MAY TRABAHO NA 'KO! Sobra ang saya ko, nagpunta na
agad ako sa CR at duon nanalangin.

Mula ng dumating ako sa Dubai, regulatr akong nagsisimba sa Christian
Church. Minsan, nakasalubong ko yung pinaka-boss ko sa company sa may
hagdan ng simbahan. Christian din pala siya, Deacon ng simbahan.
Nagkakuwentuhan kami at masaya siya para sa akin. Balak daw niyang
magkaroon ng Bible Study sa opisina.

Walang katulad mgpala ang Panginoon. Pag nagbuhos Siyam tuloy tuloy.
Dahil sa Marketing Department ako naka-assign, ayon sa contract, ang
position ko sa Company ay Marketing Coordinator, next to the Marketing
Manager. Halos nabisita ko na ang karamihan sa mga major malls in
Dubai, maging sa mga mall sa Abu Dhabi nakapunta na din ako. Major
distributor kasi ng MATTEL toys ang company namin. Toys gaya ng
Barbie, Matchbox, Hotwheels, Power Ranger at iba pa. Itong buwan ng
May ay nagkaroon kami ng Events na Power Ranger Show sa mga malls.
Dalawa sa mga show na ito ay ako ang naging HOST. Sa tulong ng
Panginoon, na-impress lahat ng mga katrabaho maging ang pinaka-bossing
namin. Sabi nila, 'I'm proud of you…'

Hindi ito ang inaasahan kong buhay sa Dubai, di ko inakala na
pagpapalain ako ng sobra. Nag-exit ako sa Iran upang palitan ng
Employment Visa yung Visit Visa k. Napunta ako sa pangit na hotel ng
una, marumi, sira-sira, subalit pinakita lang pala ng Panginoon yon.
Kinabukasan, nalipat ako sa isa sa pinakamagandang hotel sa Iran, at
napakabilis ko na nakuha ang New visa ko. Nandito na uli ako sa Dubai,
patuloy na namamangha sa kadakilaan ng ating mapagmahal na Ama.

Itong kwentong ito ang dapat na malaman niyo dahil ito ang ginagawa ng
Diyos sa buhay namin dito. Marami pang di sguradong mga bagay ang
haharapin ko dito, pero handa na ako, walang tatalo sa Panginoong
Hesu-Kristo.

Sa Panginoon ang lahat ng papuri

Chris

Analysis and Meditating... Wow! Heavy!

2007-05-30T13:22:00.000+04:00

Ako naman talaga ay naloka ng pumunta ako sa site na ito at lumabas ang result na hindi ko alam kung paniniwalaan ko ba (syempre hindi) pero sa sobrang match nya eh naloka naman tlaga ako...

The following are the results what my name means:

You entered: A*** R**** C*******

There are 17 letters in your name.
Those 17 letters total to 70
There are 8 vowels and 9 consonants in your name.

Your number is: 7

The characteristics of #7 are: Analysis, understanding, knowledge, awareness, studious, meditating.

The expression or destiny for #7:
Thought, analysis, introspection, and seclusiveness are all characteristics of the expression number 7. The hallmark of the number 7 is a good mind, and especially good at searching out and finding the truth. You are so very capable of analyzing, judging and discriminating, that very little ever escapes your observation and deep understanding. You are the type of person that can really get involved in a search for wisdom or hidden truths, often becoming an authority on whatever it is your are focusing on. This can easily be of a technical or scientific nature, or it may be religious or occult, it matters very little, you pursue knowledge with the same sort of vigor. You can make a very fine teacher, or because of a natural inclination toward the spiritual, you may become deeply emerged in religious affairs or even psychic explorations. You tend to operate on a rather different wavelength, and many of your friends may not really know you very well. The positive aspects of the 7 expression are that you can be a true perfectionist in a very positive sense of the word. You are very logical, and usually employ a quite rational approach to most things you do. You can be so rational at times that you almost seem to lack emotion, and when you are faced with an emotional situation, you may have a bit of a problem coping with it. You have excellent capabilities to study and learn really deep and difficult subjects, and to search for hidden fundamentals. At full maturity you are likely to be a very peaceful and poised individual.

If there is an over supply of the number 7 in your makeup, the negative aspects of the number may be apparent. The chief negative of 7 relates to the limited degree of trust that you may have in people. A tendency to be highly introverted can make you a bit on the self-centered side, certainly very much self-contained . Because of this, you are not very adaptable, and you may tend to be overly critical and intolerant. You really like to work alone, at your own pace and in your own way. You neither show or understand emotions very well.

Your Soul Urge number is: 7

A Soul Urge number of 7 means:
With a number 7 Soul Urge you are very fond of reading, and retreating to periods of being alone and away from the disruptions of the outer world. You like to dream and develop you idealistic understandings, to study and analyze, to gain knowledge and wisdom. You may be too laid back and withdrawn to really succeed in the business world, and you will be much more comfortable in circumstances that are tolerant of your reserve, your analytical approach, and your desire to use your mind rather than your physical being.

You are very timid around people that you don't know very well, so much so at times that casual conversation and social situations can be strained. You tend to repress your emotions to the extend that some people have a good bit of difficult understanding you. You tend to be very selective with friends and you don't easily adapt to new environments or to new people very quickly.

The negative traits of the 7 include becoming too much the introvert and isolated from others.

Your Inner Dream number is: 9

An Inner Dream number of 9 means:
You dream of being creative, intellectual, and universal; the selfless humanitarian. You understand the needy and what to help them. You would love to be a person people count on for support and advice.

You entered: A*** C*******

There are 12 letters in your name.
Those 12 letters total to 47
There are 6 vowels and 6 consonants in your name.

Your number is: 11

The characteristics of #11 are: High spiritual plane, intuitive, illumination, idealist, a dreamer.

The expression or destiny for #11:
Your Expression number is 11. The number 11 is the first of the master numbers. It is associated with idealistic concepts and rather spiritual issues. Accordingly, it is a number with potentials that are somewhat more difficult to live up to. You have the capacity to be inspirational, and the ability to lead merely by your own example. An inborn inner strength and awareness can make you an excellent teacher, social worker, philosopher, or advisor. No matter what area of work you pursue, you are very aware and sensitive to the highest sense of your environment. Your intuition is very strong; in fact, many psychic people and those involved in occult studies have the number 11 expression. You possess a good mind with keen analytical ability. Because of this you can probably succeed in most lines of work, however, you will do better and be happier outside of the business world. Oddly enough, even here you generally succeed, owing to your often original and unusual approach. Nonetheless, you are more content working with your ideals, rather than dollars and cents.

The positive aspect of the number 11 expression is an always idealistic attitude. Your thinking is long term, and you are able to grasp the far-reaching effects of actions and plans. You are disappointed by the shortsighted views of many of your contemporaries. You are deeply concerned and supportive of art, music, or of beauty in any form.

The negative attitudes associated with the number 11 expression include a continuous sense of nervous tension; you may be too sensitive and temperamental. You tend to dream a lot and may be more of a dreamer than a doer. Fantasy and reality sometimes become intermingled and you are sometimes very impractical. You tend to want to spread the illumination of your knowledge to others irrespective of their desire or need.

Your Soul Urge number is: 9

A Soul Urge number of 9 means:
With a 9 Soul Urge, you want to give to others, usually in a humanitarian or philanthropic manner. You are highly motivated to give friendship, affection and love. And you are generous in giving of your knowledge and experience. You have very sharing urges, and you are likely to have a great deal to share. Your concern for others makes you a very sympathetic and generous person with a sensitive and compassionate nature.

You are able to view life in very broad and intuitive terms. You often express high ideals and an inspirational approach to life. If you are able to fully realize the potential of your motivation, you will be a very self-sacrificing person who is able to give freely without being concerned about any return or reward.

As with all human beings, you are prone to sometimes express the negative attitudes inherent to your Soul Urges. You may become too sensitive and tend to express emotions strongly at times. There can be significant conflict between higher aims and personal ambitions. You may resent the idea of giving all of the time and, in fact, if there is too much 9 energy in your nature you may reject the idea. You may often be disappointed in the lack of perfection in yourself and others.

Your Inner Dream number is: 2

An Inner Dream number of 2 means:
You dream of close and meaningful relationships, cooperation with those around you; family and friends. You want to be a peacemaker and mediator. You present an image that you are a very pliable and easygoing person who would be very easy to get along with.

FAITH...

2007-05-28T10:26:00.000+04:00

Still
Words and Music by Reuben Morgan

Hide me now
Under your wings
Cover me
within your mighty hand

When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with you above the storm
Father you are king over the flood
I will be still and know you are God

Find rest my soul
In Christ alone
Know his power
In quietness and trust

Natural VS Right

You wake up one sunny glorious morning. You think you are the most gifted person in the world. You blink. Then think otherwise. Now, you feel you are in pain, in numbing grief, in oblivion. In a steep cliff called “I–don’t know-what-will-happen-tomorrow-please-give-me-reassurance-I-beg-you situation”. You soliloquized. You tell yourself: “Hey! Stop! That won’t give you any good at all.” You felt better in a millisecond, but halfway to the next millisecond you thought you are not convinced.

Then you break down and cry.

Did you ever get yourself into such situation? I do. Not voluntary though. Right now, at this very moment, I am filled with enormous fear of getting dumped outside this country, the UAE. The thought of returning in my home, yes the lovely Philippines indeed, but poorer by thousands of pesos and with a broken heart sends tremors to my already wracked brain.

The news yesterday came out, as Gulf News (the widest circulating newspaper and the most known in the Middle East) gladly informed the readers about this brand new law (rumors say that there’s always a new one being implemented from time to time) that is being (or will be?) implemented in UAE by their Immigration telling Filipinas below 25 years old will not be issued a working/residence visa anymore ( Ice then runs amuck shouting to the Gabriela’s of Information Age: “Mga pinay! Punitin ang mga sedula!!!”).

I am enraged. I raved. I ranted. But no, sorry, I did not curse.

I just wept. And kept on weeping and worrying and asking God, “Why me?” (So Ice, you can stop joking here…change to a more serious tone I implore you.)

Seriously, what am I doing at present is asking and seeking our Lord’s will. But because of my insistent attitude (and yes, lack of faith, admit it…), I am continuously adding more worries to myself by asking so many people via e-mail, phone, mobile (and one on one, think of the gravity of the problem) of this heartbreaking news. More on confirming from them, actually. But hey man, I am only 21, so can I now bid farewell to Dubai? (Since residence/working visa turned its face against me.)

Will that be the case? But isn’t it I’ve gotten so many job interviews, quite a number of offers, only to end up jobless? Penniless? Isn’t it I am showered with blessings, and prayers and wisdom before this voyage? Is this all? Will this be the end of Dubai High?

Answers to those I do not know. What am I trying to do here is to tell you my testimony. It’s true that there are so many problems that one could come across, and it’s equally true that the test of one’s faith begins as problems flooded his or her way.

I planned to go here to Dubai. I prayed for it. Voila! I’m already here (If you haven’t seen my latest pics, you may visit my Friendster account and be surprised on how many pounds did I lose, which in reality, there’s none). I prayed for a job and a good job offer as a Marketing Officer of a blooming television network is given to me. I am confident that there will be other companies which will be interested to hire me and can offer me a higher salary. So then I decided I will just attend as many interviews as I can then choose the best among these companies.

Everything seems to be falling into their proper places, except my heart. Amidst the seemingly assured future come the Lord knocking and asking me, “My daughter, are you still yearning to be with me? Are your plans aligned with mine? You look so sure of everything.” And so He intervenes and gave a ‘little excitement” to my ordinary, assured life. And so the new law came out.

I prayed once again, asking Him to please, please, please, make me stay here in Dubai, to make everything all right, for my qualifications to be considered by the Immigration. I prayed. But I kept on worrying. (This is the natural reaction, but is this the right reaction?) I certainly made myself a bad example of a Christian. I almost forgot what James told us in James 1:6 until I stumbled upon it recently, as recent as today (*wink*). It says,

“6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”

What I am doing contradicts what I am praying. I ask for peace and reassurance from the Lord but I am also the one who’s the culprit for my agitations. The realization struck me. I am lacking of faith. A searing pain bludgeoned my heart upon knowing this truth. And I ask for forgiveness about of this. Now I know faith is not only a word you just throw up in the air or the gush of wind coming from your mouth or the tears that fell from your eyes or the amount of words you’ve said in your prayers.

Faith means a lot more than that.

Faith is about living at peace because you know someone is in charge. Faith is also about knowing there is an Almighty God who will answer your prayer in ways that are most of the time far better than you expected. It is asking and praying wholeheartedly and believing what you have asked has been heard and answered accordingly. It’s not easy to have this kind of faith. That’s why He told us in Matthew 17:20, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Because having faith is lot much harder than solving a series of tests in advanced calculus, then we should resolve to have this extra ordinary faith.

To have this kind of faith takes up a lot of prayers, devotion to the Word, and practicing it in one’s daily life. Yup! Practice the faith! (Sounds cool noh?) Practicing faith starts when one stop saying words of doubt and defeat. Instead our words should reflect that we, Christians, have a victorious God who can do everything and surpass everything. Unless we prayed with a mountain-moving faith, our prayers will not be answered.

“James 1:7-8 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.”.

And lastly, we can always be reminded of James’ simple but practical approach:

James1:22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

The following is a good prayer I have read from a daily devotional online which we can utter when we feel we are about to waver from our faith.

Lord, please forgive me for the times I prayed about a matter and then spoke words of unbelief over it. Grant me revelation from heaven about the power of my words, and help me to control my speech. Thank You that as I speak words of faith and gratitude, I will witness You working mightily on my behalf!

ADDY: (coined term for additional.. harharhar)

Philippians 4:6 (NIV)
6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
I was singing this song this morning and stream of tears flowed as my heart sings too. I feel the love of God and His reassuring words through this song… May you be also blessed through this.
Still
Words and Music by Reuben Morgan

Hide me now
Under your wings
Cover me
within your mighty hand

When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with you above the storm
Father you are king over the flood
I will be still and know you are God

Find rest my soul
In Christ alone
Know his power
In quietness and trust

Masaya ang mabuhay para sa Lord.... Totoo yan.

2007-05-26T08:39:00.000+04:00

Blog ko naman ito di bah? Kaya may karapatan akong magsulat dito ng gusto kong ilagay! Bwahahahaa!!! Walang makakapigil!

Pwera joke, o sige seryoso na po... Masarap at masayang mabuhay na may Panginoon sa buhay mo.

Tinanggap ko si Jesus nung ako'y third year high school, sa Bulacan pa nga ko nakatira nun. Sa isang youth camp ng aming simbahan. Tinanggap ko Siya upang maging Panginoon ng aking buhay at upang maging aking Tagapagligtas. Naluha ako noon, ang message pa nga ay tungkol kay Esau at Jacob, at kung paanong ipinagpalit ni Esau ang kanyang birthright kay Jacob para lamang sa pagkain. (Ang babaw noh? Pero eto talaga ang human nature, pinagpapalit natin ang ating dapat sana'y pagiging anak ng Lord over wordly things... over pleasures that the world can offer... na hindi naman dapat...)

Grabe! Nakakamangha nga kung paanong nangusap sa akin ang preaching na iyon. Kakaiba talaga. Alam nyo yung sinasabi nila na, "before I'm blind but now I can see", parang ganun ang nangyari sa akin. Little by little, things in my life suddenly unfolded before me. It was such an awesome, indescribable encounter of the Lord. I just found myself asking for forgiveness from the Lord because of the sins I have committed . Nasabi ko sa Kanya, Panginoon, hindi ko kayang mabuhay ng wala Ka sa buhay ko, at hindi Ikaw ang may control nito. Napakasarap lumaya sa sarili mong pag co-control sa buhay mo. Ang sarap ng may in charge sa buhay mo. Bawian ka man ng buhay sa lupang katawan, magkakaroon naman ako ng buhay na walang hanggan, hindi na maghihirap, hindi na mapapagod, maligayang magpupuri sa Panginoon magpakailanman.

Nabaptized naman ako sa Taguig Baptist Church, ang aking mahal na mahal na church. May mga mapagmahal na nanay, Matulunging mga tatay, Magaganda at masisipag na youth, mababait na kuya't ate, mga the best na mga pastors! Kaya naman masasabi ko naman talaga na I'm so happy with my church.

Ayun nga lang, kailangan kong pumunta ng ibang bansa for several reasons: career, family, future, and also, it's really my desire to help my church. Nagpapa-renovate ngayon kasi ang TBC at siyempre pa may mga projects ang TBC para sa lalo pang pag-abot sa mga unchurched. Napakagagandang mga plano na gusto ka sanang maging bahagi... Kaya andito ngayon ang inyong chubby blog author sa Dubai.

Sa work ko ngayon as Marketing and Sales Coordinator cum Secretary cum Receptionist cum All around assistant ng isang nagpapasimula pa lamang na TV Station, kinikilala ko pang lalo ang sarili ko at ang Lord.

May ka-officemate akong M. (Sa mga kapatiran, lam nyo na ang M di ba? Isa sila sa ating mga inaabot para sa Panginoon.)Pinapanalangin ko nga na sana ma-win ko ang ka-oofficemate kong ito. Ang totoo pa nga nyan, sort of nag wiwitness rin siya sa akin. Ang gara noh? (Parang nakaka-challenge nga eh. Kasi ngayon, talagang nag-dedevotion na ko at nag-aaral ng matindi, una para makilala pa ng lubusan si Jesus, at syempre, para naman ma-win kay Lord ang ka-officemate kong ito. Prayer request ko po ito.)

Hehehe... Well, I keep all the progress posted here in my blog.
Pano? Till next post! See yah!

gusto ko lang...

2007-05-08T13:38:00.000+04:00

naiiyak na ko... pakiramdam ko kasi napagkakaisahan na ko dito sa office. parang paranoid thinking kaso hindi ko mapigilang makapag-isip ng ganun... nung isang araw, yung asawa ng president nung TV network nagtatanong kung anung ginagawa ko sa PC. sabi ko nakikipag-coordinate through e-mail, getting as well the contact nos. of those hotels (potential client...)... sagot niya, "well, i'm just asking." today, ganun din nangyari dun sa isang ka-officemate ko. nagtatanong sya kung anung system dito sa office, nagkwento ako. sabay sabi, "i'm just asking". Did I sound really defensive? What I am trying to sound like enthusiastic! Hindi na lang ba talaga ako masyadong magiging madaldal? Isang tanong, isang sagot na lang ba talaga ang gagawin ko? Haaayyy.. ang lungkot. anyway, gawin ko na lang ng mahinusay ang work ko para hindi na ko nagkakaroon ng chance makipagusap sa kanila. kahit minsan, nababastos na ko kasi kahit kaharap na ko Chinese pa rin ang language na gamit nila. Kahit yung isang Syrian... haaay....

Dubai Baby...

2007-04-25T08:29:00.000+04:00

Ang mga sumusunod ay ilan sa mga bagay na unique sa Dubai:

1. mainit ang tubig kahit ala sais ng umaga, partida hindi mo kailangan magpakulo sa takure or magkaroon ng water heater pag gusto mong maligo...

2. may oras ang bus (para turuan ng leksyon ang mga taong tulad ko na laging late gumising. ngayon, sapilitang akong bumbangon sa aking higaan ng 5:45am at umalis ng bahay ng bago mag-alsiyete para antayin ang bus ng halos (minsan) isang oras at sumakay ng bus ng 10minutes!!! at dumating sa office ng 8:15 samantalang ang pasok ko ay 9:00 pa..hehehe..enjoy naman...)

3.may mga taxi driver na manyakis...

4. ok reputasyon ng pinoy dito.. kaso lang yung iba sinira na yun.. (ie. tinatakbuhan ang company, laginglate, tamad yung iba)

5. lufet sa internet. nadedeetect agad kung peke yung software na nakainstall sa PC

6. imported ang prosti nia

7. eto interestng: antwag sa mga UAE national dito: LOKAL. pag sinabing lokal, bigatin, mayaman...

ang babaeng lokal na may tabing sa ulo (naka-sheyla): single
babaeng lokal na mata lang ang nasisinagan ng araw: married to a jealous husband.
babaeng lokal na may ilong ng parrot na maskara: biyuda

8. twag sa bumbay: PANA

9. lalake ang preferred na biktimahin...

shall i say goodye for a while?

2006-12-21T14:03:00.000+04:00

Ikaw ang lahat sa akin
Kahit ika'y wala sa aking piling
Isang magandang alaala
Isang Kahapong lagi kong kasama

Literatura ang unang pag-ibig ko... natatandaan ko ng anim o pitong taong gulang lamang ako ng nagsimula akong mahumaling sa mga maikling kuwento na kinasasabiklan kong basahin mula sa mga libro ng nakakatanda kong kapatid… tuwing hapon, hindi ako matatagpuan na kasama ng aking mga pinsan sa labas ng bahay na naglalaro ng lutu-lutuan o ng manikang dinadamitan ng mga makukulay at magagarang kasuotan. Madalas, andun ako, sa nasa pinakamataas na baitang ng hagdanan sa bahay ng aking lola. Nagbabasa ng Walong Taong Gulang o ng Ang Kuwento ni Mabuti… Mas makulay kasi ang buhay nila. Mas masaya. Dinadala ako sa mga lugar na hindi ko pa napupuntahan at ipanapakilala sa mga taong hindi ko pa nakakasalamuha.Ang mga libro ang aking naging kanlungan ko sa oras na hindi ko maintindhan ang mga tao sa paligid ko… Sila ang nagturo sa akin ng mga bagay na hindi ko maunawaan… Umibig ako sa mga kuwento nila, nakiiyak sa mga tauhan, nakidalamhati sa kabiguan ng mga ito, napangiti sa kanilang mga natamong tagumpay at nakihalakhak sa bagay na kaaliw-aliw… Ang mga libro at mga kuwento ang aking naging kakampi… walang ibig makisalamuha sa mundo ko…

Ikaw ang lahat sa akin
Kahit ika'y di ko dapat ibigin
Dapat ba kitang limutin
Pa'no mapipigil ang isang damdamin
Kung ang sinisigaw ikaw ang lahat sa akin

Isang kontes ang sinalihan ko nung nasa grade five ako, at nanalo ako sa isang paligsahan ng pagsusulat ng sanaysay. Pwede naman pala akong magsulat. Kaya ko pala. Pwede naman rin pala akong magkwento bakit hindi ko ito ginawa noon pa? Ngunit, lagi na lamang akong nawawala sa landas na gusto kong puntahan… lagi akong iminumuwestra ng mga kamay na malayo sa mga pangarap ko… Gawin mo ang mga ito… gawin mo ang mga iyan… Hindi ganyan kundi ganito… Mali ka… Tama ako… tama kami… Hindi ako naging malaya sa pagpapasya, ni hindi ko nalaman kung paano magpasya sa kung ano ba talaga ang gusto kong gawin, kaya marahil hanggang ngayon nagduda pa rin ako sa sarili ko… hanggang ngayon, dinadalaw ako ng aking hindi pagiging sigurado sa mga bagay na gusto ko o ayaw ko… Nagtapos ako ng elementarya ng may medalya sa ibang mga larangan ngunit mga istorya at kwento pa rin ang nasa isip ko… Tumuntong ako ng high school, napuno na naman ako ng pagdududa… sa sarili ko… sa kung anong magagawa ko… sa kung anong maari kong marating… kung makakapagsulat pa ba ako… nagsusulat pa rin ako… ngunit muli… kahit ito ang gustong gusto ko… naligaw na naman ako ng mga maling pagpapasya… tinigil ko na ang pagbabasa… tinigil ko ang pagsusulat… itinapon ang mga ito… kahit alam kong ito ang buhay ko… inisip ko… hindi naman ako magaling sa pagsusulat… disin sana’y kasama ako sa mga school papers noon… nagsusulat ng artikulo… nagsusulat ng sanaysay o ng editoryal o ng mga kaganapan sa aming school… pero hindi naman ako pumapasa sa mga pagsusulit para makasama ang mga pinakamahuhusay… hindi ko alam kung anong eksaktong dahilan… marahil… hindi naman talaga ako para sa pagsusulat… ni hindi ako nararapat humawak ng kahit anong panulat… hindi ako nararapat tawaging manunulat… Tinapon ko ang pangarap ko… kahit ang mga literatura ang isinisigaw ng isip at puso ko…

At kung hindi ngayon ang panahon
Upang ikaw ay mahalin
Bukas na walang hanggan
Doo'y maghihintay pa rin

Matagal ko nang ibig na kumatha ng mga kuwentong bunga ng aking mga pangarap... at mga kabiguan... Pero sa tuwina… bakit puro hinanakit na lang ang nararanasan ko kapag pinipilit kong gawin iyon...

Sabi ng mga batikang manunulat na sina

Ikaw ang lahat sa akin
Sa Maykapal aking dinadalangin
Dapat ba kitang limutin
Pa'no mapipigil ang isang damdamin
Kung ang sinisigaw ikaw ang lahat sa akin

At kung hindi ngayon ang panahon
Upang ikaw ay mahalin
Bukas na walang hanggan
Hanggang matapos ang kaylan pa man
Bukas na walang haggan
Doo'y maghihintay pa rin

Pano mapipigil ang isang damdamin
Kung ang sinisigaw
Ikaw ang lahat sa akin

My Neruda... and my Love

2006-12-21T09:16:00.000+04:00

Tonight I Can Write The Saddest Lines

By Pablo Neruda

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.
Write, for example, 'The night is shattered
and the blue stars shiver in the distance.'
The night wind revolves in the sky and sings.

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.
I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too.
Through the nights like this one I held her in my arms.
I kissed her again and again under the endless sky.

She loved me, sometimes I loved her too.
How could one not have loved her great still eyes.
Tonight I can write the saddest lines.
To think that I do not have her. To feel that I have lost her.

To hear the immense night, still more immense without her.
And the verse falls to the soul like dew to the pasture.
What does it matter that my love could not keep her.
The night is shattered and she is not with me.

This is all. In the distance someone is singing. In the distance.
My soul is not satisfied that it has lost her.
My sight searches for her as though to go to her.
My heart looks for her, and she is not with me.

The same night whitening the same trees.
We, of that time, are no longer the same.
I no longer love her, that's certain, but how I loved her.
My voice tried to find the wind to touch her hearing.

Another’s. She will be another’s. Like my kisses before.
Her voice, her bright body. Her infinite eyes.
I no longer love her, that’s certain, but maybe I love her.
Love is so short, forgetting is so long.

Because through nights like this one I held her in my arms
my soul is not satisfied that it has lost her.
Though this be the last pain that she makes me suffer
and these the last verses that I write for her.

rummaging through my ice age old email... it's so nice to be mushy...

2006-12-21T06:45:00.000+04:00

Here I am again. Crying after we hang up the phone. I know you think I’m just fine,saying goodnignt's and I love you's over the course of our conversation. We embarked on a sweet talk and ended up so nice too. Most probably, you don't know I’m feeling this way. And perhaps you barely have an idea of how much longing do I have towards you. Maybe it's just isn't right to depend your happiness to a person. But what else can I do? You make my life evolve. I wanted to be by your side, if possible, all the time. Yet, though, if we can make it to the point that we're already married, even that doesn't guarantee of us inseparable at times. I'm longing for you, so badly. And I’m afraid that this longing might lead into something not so nice. ... I'm always hungry for your touch, for your attention, for your voice...for everything that is you. I always want to feel your arms enveloping me, the comfort it gives to me, the immeasurable security...it makes me want to love you more and more...and also makes me forget of the sorrow and petty pains you've caused me. Yet, like this night and so many more nights to come and those that have passed by...I'm becoming an alien to myself and to you also. And before I sleep, I'll just memorize the sweetness of your voice when you're saying sorry, and perhaps, I'll just try to recall your lips brushing against mine...and the way your hands feel on my skin...its softness, its masculinity and femininity as well...you always make me wonder of how could you possess such extreme characteristics...yet, I'm often reminded, through that, how great our Lord is, how good He is to me for sending you in my life...I could never be grateful enough...maybe I could still wait for that time when we will sleep together under the blessing of God and our church. On nights, when, me, hugging your nice tummy and you, giving warmth on my body...and maybe then, I'd be more mature to face my own fears and at least you'll be there to give me a hug and sumptuous kiss whenever my tantrums are incomprehensible. And we will be filled by nice thoughts. Enormous dreams. I guess we will have time to laugh more often and I can lessen my crying too. I love you beyond words and the boundless sky. And I'll always do....

and expecting is hard....

2006-12-21T06:43:00.000+04:00

oftentimes, it's difficult to expect from other people, small expectations... big expectations... Is it too bad to be sometimes idealistic of what other people should act or think?