arlene's view

SoundClick Widgets

noreply@blogger.com (arls) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 23:09:27 PDT

Launching Soon

noreply@blogger.com (arls) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 08:43:20 PDT

Recording... done.

Asked FCCY to handle the event... done.

What's left to do:

- Pictorial

- Revision of some music

- CD production

- Final layout

- Events Detail

Nervous... a bit!

Excited... very much!!!!

Blessed by God... YES!!!!!

LAUNCHING SOON!!!!!!! Yey!!!!!

Early Morn of Maundy Thursday

noreply@blogger.com (arls) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 09:37:03 PDT

I suddenly feel ashamed. I realized that the first few days of Holy Week has passed me by. And I've got to stop myself and concentrate on the coming days. It's a good thing I caught myself before I went downhill.

After my resignation, I said I was going to give God more time, but I realized that I have not really given so much time for him. I feel ashamed that I chose not to connect with Him more deeply but instead, spent my time and energy in facebook, pet society, etc. I don't judge others who did and this is coming from a promise to give Him more time and not have given it, and when it turned 12 midnight, indicating that this is Maundy Thursday, I caught myself and started to reflect. And thus, to repeat my first sentence - I feel quite ashamed.

And I suddenly asked myself. What did I really give up this Lent? I feel I have not really given up so much compared to the other years when I was still more "deep" in my relationship with Him. And that is also why I feel so ashamed.

But I'm stopping myself. Tomorrow until Sunday - it will be about HIM. I will reflect and deeply involve myself in the happenings especially day by day as we walk with Christ. After all, isn't Holy Week meant in remembrance of what our Lord has gone through?

Today, Maundy Thursday - we remember the Last Supper. We also remember Jesus suffering in the garden of Gethsemane and the feeling of abandonment that his chosen companions could not even keep watch for one hour. We remember his pain and struggle in accepting His Father's will - and finally to acceptance and bravely obeying His Father's will. We remember how Judas' betrayed our Lord for thirty silver coins. And how everything will change from that hour on. Our Lord would suffer humiliation, human suffering that I can never imagine subjecting myself into, and ultimately, His passion and death on the cross.

And while we focus on the remaining days on his suffering, it will still be a story of love and hope as we await Jesus' rising up again on Easter Sunday.

In the mean time - I shall be still and know He is God.

LP: Paboritong Litrato

noreply@blogger.com (arls) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 06:46:55 PDT

Mejo matagal-tagal akong di nakapag-LP. Nagpunta ako ng Tsina nung isang linggo at nagresign naman ako sa trabaho ko. Ngayong araw lang ako nakapahinga talaga kaya buti na lang nadelay ng isang araw ang LP.

Ang paksa sa linggong ito’y paboritong litrato. Naku, sa dami, hindi ako makapili. Kaya pagbigyan nyo na ako at marami ang aking ipopost ngayong linggong ito.

Kuha sa Nokia 6300, ito ay kinunan ko habang kami’y nasa columbary garden kung saan namamahinga ang aking papa. Kulay brown dapat ang snail na ito, ngunit dahil pagabi na nung kinuha ko ito, mejo naging violet sya.

Ito naman ang una kong kuha macro style sa aking digicam na casio exilim. Ang saya ko nung nakuha ko ito kasi hindi sya DLSR, but it has the DLSR trademark

Nung ako’y nasa Tsina, ang pinakamagandang lugar na aking nakita (sa limited cities na napuntahan ko), ay ang Hangzhou. Ito naman ay kuha nung Enero (winter nila). Gusto ko bumalik dito dahil napakadaming pwedeng lugar na kumuha ng litrato!

Ito naman ang kuha kong mga “jumping” shots. proud ako kasi ang galing kong kumuha nito sa casio exilim ko ang sumunod sa makulay na “jump” shot ay aksidente lamang. natuwa kami nung nakita naming parang sinuntok nya yung kasama namin. kaya ayun, nagmala-street fighter kami.

At syempre, di kumpleto ang paboritong litrato kung walang scenic na litrato. ito naman ay kuha din ng casio exilim habang nasa boracay kami nuong 2008.

Happy LP everyone! Excited na ako s aT-shirt! hehehe

From Kerygma

noreply@blogger.com (arls) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 09:25:20 PDT

Playing SAFE

Life is, first and foremost, life “with” someone, a life relation to the other, in relation to God, to those whom we love, and to those who love us. In our day-to-day living, it is inevitable that we find ourselves judging others and even condemning them as if we’re perfect, incapable of committing any mistakes. Why is it that people have the tendency to gawk at others’ imperfections, a transference wherein he exactly acts as a faultfinder just to justify and cover up his limitations? Over and over again, unconsciously, we fix our eyes on others’ face dirt. It is really a sad commentary that we indulge ourselves in doing things that we should not, such as gossiping and judging others, and hastily get away when the things get rough. On the other hand, we have a propensity to get infuriated when someone does the same thing to us. We tend to be self-righteous and notice the other’s speck and forget to look at ourselves first.

We also seek out for forgiveness, right? At some stage in our personal prayer, we beg for God’s forgiveness for the wrongs we have done, am I right again? Yes, it is easy to say sorry and beg for forgiveness every time we do something wrong but we become stone-hearted to accept another’s shortcomings. With that conduct, we are like the unforgiving servant in the parable. Now, I challenge you to take a look at your life: do you have an admirable relationship with others — with your family, friends, coworkers, neighbors? You may come to realize that you’re miles apart from them even though they’re just around. Learn from the parable of the unforgiving servant whom the Master has forgiven and punished later for he did not forgive his fellow servant. Let us be guided by the biblical maxim, “The measure you give will be the measure you receive back.”Fr. Joel O. Jason

Reflection Question:

The practice of abstinence in Lent is far from mere dieting or refraining from certain types of food. Why not make this Lenten season an occasion to practice spiritual abstinence from righteousness and harsh judgment?

Lord, incline my heart to forgive. Teach me to love others rather than condemn them. Amen.

St. Frances of Rome, Religious, pray for us.

the weekend that was

noreply@blogger.com (arls) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 07:00:40 PDT

it's been a long time since i just blogged about what's happening with my life. and now i found i have time (weeeeh!) and just wanted to blog about the weekend that was.

it was a very busy weekend as we geared up for the bridal fair. this was the first bridal fair we really invested time, effort and design. and this was the "high" career moment erika and i experienced.

i'll post the pics soon, but it was really lovely. we even had bookings!!!! :)

i really want to thank my partners (who supported the idea and made it happen) - naks parang academy award speech - to clarice and elma who made the effort to go all the way to PICC forum and visit us and even helped write and distribute our fliers!!! and one of those elma said hi to, booked us for OTD! :) thanks my angels!!! i also want to thank paula, omar, joyce, john who visited the booth and helped in their own little way :) and of course to lot - who doesn't own a multiply, though - thanks so much for everything!!! :)

this was really a great weekend. the pagod was really worth it. :)

i also celebrated my chinese birthday yesterday :) and my family also went to the PICC forum to support me! :) i'm really grateful that even with all the blunders, it turned out to be a great weekend.

Seth Godin: Do you deserve it?

noreply@blogger.com (arls) — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 19:45:20 PST

LP: Tipanan (Date)

noreply@blogger.com (arls) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 08:07:00 PST

Kung kayo'y madalas magkasama ng eksklusib, nangangahulugan bang isang tipanan na ito? :)

Tipanan (Date)

LP: Puso (Heart)

noreply@blogger.com (arls) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 03:04:23 PST

For this week's project, naisip kong kumuha ng mga imaheng hugis puso sa isang Mall sa Makati. Kaya lang, dahil sa Greenbelt 5 ako pumunta, mejo shala pala ito at konti lang ang nakita ko. Ito ang iba't ibang mga kuha ko...

Itim na tinapay (dahil sa ink ng pusit) sa La Maison sa Greenbelt 5.

Galing naman ito ke Fiori Di M sa Adora Department Store.

At siyempre, ang Havaianas :)

Share ko lang din ang isa pang litrato. Ginamit ko sya sa temang "Tsokolate" pero me kuha din akong ng 2 puting kuneho na tila naghugis puso.

Happy Valentines Day mga Ka-LP!!!!

LP: Tsokolate (Chocolate)

noreply@blogger.com (arls) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 03:39:07 PST

Kuha sa Feeding Area ng Ark Avilon sa Frontrera Verde, Pasig City

Ang dalawang kunehong mala-tsokolate ang kulay ay maligayang ngumangangata sa isang karot stick na hinahawakan ko habang kinukunan ko itong litratong ito. Puso ang porma nilang dalawa at natuwa ako nung nakita ko ito! Para syang alaala ng aking kabataan habang ako'y pumoporma ng iba't ibang imahe sa mga ulap. Aaaaah, nasa maliliit na detalye talaga ang Diyos.

In English:
The chocolate rabbits happily munch on a carrot stick being held by me as I try to get this shot. The two rabbits together formed a heart and I was really happy to see this! :) It's like a childhood memory of seeing shapes in clouds. :) Aaaaah, God really is in the small details.

LP: Lila (Violet)

noreply@blogger.com (arls) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 01:15:45 PST

An arrangement of Lisanthius and spray of baby's breath by Maxi Cinco

This is my entry for this week. I've always loved flowers. I am very grateful for the Lord for giving me the talent of arranging flowers. I didn't make this bouqet of violet flowers but I love the flowers used. This flower is called "Lisanthius".

Ito ang aking lahok sa linggong ito. Mahilig na talaga ako sa bulaklak noon pa. Hindi ko akalain na bibigyan ako ng Maykapal ng talentong gumawa ng arrangements gamit ang bulaklak at ito'y akin namang ikinatutuwa. Hindi ko gawa itong arrangement na lila, pero paborito ko itong bulaklak na ito. Pangalan nito ay "Lisanthius."

Ay share ko lang ang kuha kong Lila na kasama ang ka-LP nating si Paula :) Happy Thursday everyone!

St Thomas Aquinas: Prayer for Guidance

noreply@blogger.com (arls) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 05:34:57 PST

O creator past all telling,
you have appointed from the treasures of your wisdom
the hierarchies of angels,
disposing them in wondrous order
above the bright heavens,
and have so beautifully set out all parts of the universe.

You we call the true fount of wisdom
and the noble origin of all things.
Be pleased to shed
on the darkness of mind in which I was born,
The twofold beam of your light
and warmth to dispel my ignorance and sin.

You make eloquent the tongues of children.
Then instruct my speech
and touch my lips with graciousness.
Make me keen to understand, quick to learn,
able to remember;
make me delicate to interpret and ready to speak.

Guide my going in and going forward,
lead home my going forth.
You are true God and true man,
and live for ever and ever.

--St Thomas Aquinas, 1225-74

Do Catholics Worship Statues?

noreply@blogger.com (arls) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:56:00 PST

from http://www.catholic.com/library/do_catholics_worship_statues.asp

Do Catholics Worship Statues?

"Catholics worship statues!" People still make this ridiculous claim. Because Catholics have statues in their churches, goes the accusation, they are violating God’s commandment: "You shall not make for yourself a graven image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: you shall not bow down to them or serve them" (Ex. 20:4–5); "Alas, this people have sinned a great sin; they have made for themselves gods of gold" (Ex. 32:31).

It is right to warn people against the sin of idolatry when they are committing it. But calling Catholics idolaters because they have images of Christ and the saints is based on misunderstanding or ignorance of what the Bible says about the purpose and uses (both good and bad) of statues.

Anti-Catholic writer Loraine Boettner, in his book Roman Catholicism, makes the blanket statement, "God has forbidden the use of images in worship" (281). Yet if people were to "search the scriptures" (cf. John 5:39), they would find the opposite is true. God forbade the worship of statues, but he did not forbid the religious use of statues. Instead, he actually commanded their use in religious contexts!

God Said To Make Them

People who oppose religious statuary forget about the many passages where the Lord commands the making of statues. For example: "And you shall make two cherubim of gold [i.e., two gold statues of angels]; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat. Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end; of one piece of the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends. The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be" (Ex. 25:18–20).

David gave Solomon the plan "for the altar of incense made of refined gold, and its weight; also his plan for the golden chariot of the cherubim that spread their wings and covered the ark of the covenant of the Lord. All this he made clear by the writing of the hand of the Lord concerning it all, all the work to be done according to the plan" (1 Chr. 28:18–19). David’s plan for the temple, which the biblical author tells us was "by the writing of the hand of the Lord concerning it all," included statues of angels.

Similarly Ezekiel 41:17–18 describes graven (carved) images in the idealized temple he was shown in a vision, for he writes, "On the walls round about in the inner room and [on] the nave were carved likenesses of cherubim."

The Religious Uses of Images

During a plague of serpents sent to punish the Israelites during the exodus, God told Moses to "make [a statue of] a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and every one who is bitten, when he sees it shall live. So Moses made a bronze serpent, and set it on a pole; and if a serpent bit any man, he would look at the bronze serpent and live" (Num. 21:8–9).

One had to look at the bronze statue of the serpent to be healed, which shows that statues could be used ritually, not merely as religious decorations.

Catholics use statues, paintings, and other artistic devices to recall the person or thing depicted. Just as it helps to remember one’s mother by looking at her photograph, so it helps to recall the example of the saints by looking at pictures of them. Catholics also use statues as teaching tools. In the early Church they were especially useful for the instruction of the illiterate. Many Protestants have pictures of Jesus and other Bible pictures in Sunday school for teaching children. Catholics also use statues to commemorate certain people and events, much as Protestant churches have three-dimensional nativity scenes at Christmas.

If one measured Protestants by the same rule, then by using these "graven" images, they would be practicing the "idolatry" of which they accuse Catholics. But there’s no idolatry going on in these situations. God forbids the worship of images as gods, but he doesn’t ban the making of images. If he had, religious movies, videos, photographs, paintings, and all similar things would be banned. But, as the case of the bronze serpent shows, God does not even forbid the ritual use of religious images.

It is when people begin to adore a statue as a god that the Lord becomes angry. Thus when people did start to worship the bronze serpent as a snake-god (whom they named "Nehushtan"), the righteous king Hezekiah had it destroyed (2 Kgs. 18:4).

What About Bowing?

Sometimes anti-Catholics cite Deuteronomy 5:9, where God said concerning idols, "You shall not bow down to them." Since many Catholics sometimes bow or kneel in front of statues of Jesus and the saints, anti-Catholics confuse the legitimate veneration of a sacred image with the sin of idolatry.

Though bowing can be used as a posture in worship, not all bowing is worship. In Japan, people show respect by bowing in greeting (the equivalent of the Western handshake). Similarly, a person can kneel before a king without worshipping him as a god. In the same way, a Catholic who may kneel in front of a statue while praying isn’t worshipping the statue or even praying to it, any more than the Protestant who kneels with a Bible in his hands when praying is worshipping the Bible or praying to it.

Hiding the Second Commandment?

Another charge sometimes made by Protestants is that the Catholic Church "hides" the second commandment. This is because in Catholic catechisms, the first commandment is often listed as "You shall have no other gods before me" (Ex. 20:3), and the second is listed as "You shall not take the name of the Lord in vain." (Ex. 20:7). From this, it is argued that Catholics have deleted the prohibition of idolatry to justify their use of religious statues. But this is false. Catholics simply group the commandments differently from most Protestants.

In Exodus 20:2–17, which gives the Ten Commandments, there are actually fourteen imperative statements. To arrive at Ten Commandments, some statements have to be grouped together, and there is more than one way of doing this. Since, in the ancient world, polytheism and idolatry were always united—idolatry being the outward expression of polytheism—the historic Jewish numbering of the Ten Commandments has always grouped together the imperatives "You shall have no other gods before me" (Ex. 20:3) and "You shall not make for yourself a graven image" (Ex. 20:4). The historic Catholic numbering follows the Jewish numbering on this point, as does the historic Lutheran numbering. Martin Luther recognized that the imperatives against polytheism and idolatry are two parts of a single command.

Jews and Christians abbreviate the commandments so that they can be remembered using a summary, ten-point formula. For example, Jews, Catholics, and Protestants typically summarize the Sabbath commandment as, "Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy," though the commandment’s actual text takes four verses (Ex. 20:8–11).

When the prohibition of polytheism/idolatry is summarized, Jews, Catholics, and Lutherans abbreviate it as "You shall have no other gods before me." This is no attempt to "hide" the idolatry prohibition (Jews and Lutherans don’t even use statues of saints and angels). It is to make learning the Ten Commandments easier.

The Catholic Church is not dogmatic about how the Ten Commandments are to be numbered, however. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, "The division and numbering of the Commandments have varied in the course of history. The present catechism follows the division of the Commandments established by Augustine, which has become traditional in the Catholic Church. It is also that of the Lutheran confession. The Greek Fathers worked out a slightly different division, which is found in the Orthodox Churches and Reformed communities" (CCC 2066).

The Form of God?

Some anti-Catholics appeal to Deuteronomy 4:15–18 in their attack on religious statues: "[S]ince you saw no form on the day that the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, beware lest you act corruptly by making a graven image for yourselves, in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air, the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth."

We’ve already shown that God doesn’t prohibit the making of statues or images of various creatures for religious purposes (cf. 1 Kgs. 6:29–32, 8:6–66; 2 Chr. 3:7–14). But what about statues or images that represent God? Many Protestants would say that’s wrong because Deuteronomy 4 says the Israelites did not see God under any form when he made the covenant with them, therefore we should not make symbolic representations of God either. But does Deuteronomy 4 forbid such representations?

The Answer Is No

Early in its history, Israel was forbidden to make any depictions of God because he had not revealed himself in a visible form. Given the pagan culture surrounding them, the Israelites might have been tempted to worship God in the form of an animal or some natural object (e.g., a bull or the sun).

But later God did reveal himself under visible forms, such as in Daniel 7:9: "As I looked, thrones were placed and one that was Ancient of Days took his seat; his raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, its wheels were burning fire." Protestants make depictions of the Father under this form when they do illustrations of Old Testament prophecies.

The Holy Spirit revealed himself under at least two visible forms—that of a dove, at the baptism of Jesus (Matt. 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32), and as tongues of fire, on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1–4). Protestants use these images when drawing or painting these biblical episodes and when they wear Holy Spirit lapel pins or place dove emblems on their cars.

But, more important, in the Incarnation of Christ his Son, God showed mankind an icon of himself. Paul said, "He is the image (Greek: ikon) of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation." Christ is the tangible, divine "icon" of the unseen, infinite God.

We read that when the magi were "going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshipped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh" (Matt. 2:11). Though God did not reveal a form for himself on Mount Horeb, he did reveal one in the house in Bethlehem.

The bottom line is, when God made the New Covenant with us, he did reveal himself under a visible form in Jesus Christ. For that reason, we can make representations of God in Christ. Even Protestants use all sorts of religious images: Pictures of Jesus and other biblical persons appear on a myriad of Bibles, picture books, T-shirts, jewelry, bumper stickers, greeting cards, compact discs, and manger scenes. Christ is even symbolically represented through the Icthus or "fish emblem."

Common sense tells us that, since God has revealed himself in various images, most especially in the incarnate Jesus Christ, it’s not wrong for us to use images of these forms to deepen our knowledge and love of God. That’s why God revealed himself in these visible forms, and that’s why statues and pictures are made of them.

Idolatry Condemned by the Church

Since the days of the apostles, the Catholic Church has consistently condemned the sin of idolatry. The early Church Fathers warn against this sin, and Church councils also dealt with the issue.

The Second Council of Nicaea (787), which dealt largely with the question of the religious use of images and icons, said, "[T]he one who redeemed us from the darkness of idolatrous insanity, Christ our God, when he took for his bride his holy Catholic Church . . . promised he would guard her and assured his holy disciples saying, ‘I am with you every day until the consummation of this age.’ . . . To this gracious offer some people paid no attention; being hoodwinked by the treacherous foe they abandoned the true line of reasoning . . . and they failed to distinguish the holy from the profane, asserting that the icons of our Lord and of his saints were no different from the wooden images of satanic idols."

The Catechism of the Council of Trent (1566) taught that idolatry is committed "by worshipping idols and images as God, or believing that they possess any divinity or virtue entitling them to our worship, by praying to, or reposing confidence in them" (374).

"Idolatry is a perversion of man’s innate religious sense. An idolater is someone who ‘transfers his indestructible notion of God to anything other than God’" (CCC 2114).

The Church absolutely recognizes and condemns the sin of idolatry. What anti-Catholics fail to recognize is the distinction between thinking a piece of stone or plaster is a god and desiring to visually remember Christ and the saints in heaven by making statues in their honor. The making and use of religious statues is a thoroughly biblical practice. Anyone who says otherwise doesn’t know his Bible.

NIHIL OBSTAT: I have concluded that the materials
presented in this work are free of doctrinal or moral errors.
Bernadeane Carr, STL, Censor Librorum, August 10, 2004

IMPRIMATUR: In accord with 1983 CIC 827
permission to publish this work is hereby granted.
+Robert H. Brom, Bishop of San Diego, August 10, 2004

LP: Kahel (Orange)

noreply@blogger.com (arls) — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 06:43:55 PST

I was a bit challenged by this week's LP entry :) I tried shrimps to orange lanterns but was really not satisfied. good thing we coordinated a wedding debut yesterday and there in the lobby of makati shangri-la, a huge floral display of orange and copper mums with spider mums shaped like a pineapple was a feast to the eyes - and to my delight! Finally, a LP-worthy entry :)

and a closer view...

to a much closer view :)

There you go. Happy Chinese New Year everyone!

In Tagalog: Nahirapan ako sa ilalahok ko sa linggong ito. Sumubok akong kumuha ng mga hipon, chinese lanterns pero hindi talaga ako natuwa. Buti na lang at nagcoordinate kami ng debut kahapon at sa gitna ng lobby ng Makati Shangri-la ay isang napakalaking display ng mga bulaklak na kulay kahel na nakapormang pina. Napakaganda niyang tignan - at buti na lang dahil dito, meron na rin akong ilalahok sa LP sa linggong ito. :)

Christian refuses to drive "No God" bus

noreply@blogger.com (arls) — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 22:36:35 PST

Christian refuses to drive "No God" bus

AFP - Saturday, January 17

LONDON (AFP) - - A Christian bus driver refused this week to drive a bus that displayed an atheist advertisement saying "There's probably no God" on the side, reports said on Friday.

The driver from Southampton in Hampshire reacted with "shock" and "horror" last Sunday when he saw the slogan and walked out of his shift in protest, the BBC reported.

"I was just about to board and there it was staring me in the face, my first reaction was shock horror," driver Ron Heather told BBC radio.

"I felt that I could not drive that bus, I told my managers and they said they haven't got another one and I thought I better go home, so I did," he said.

"I think it was the starkness of this advert which implied there was no God."

The protest comes amid a growing campaign by atheists that started in Britain earlier this month and has spread to Spain, with a similar initiative planned in at least one city in predominantly Catholic Italy.

The slogans have been plastered on 800 buses across Britain and in London's subway system in a move backed by the British Humanist Association (BHA).

The advertisements have been condemned by clergy in Italy and Spain, while angry Christians have protested to Britain's advertising watchdog -- asking for proof that the slogans are telling the truth.

The ads in Britain were the brainchild of comedy writer Ariane Sherine and were financed by more than 140,000 pounds in public donations.

Sherine has said she objected to Christian adverts on some London buses that carried an Internet address warning that people who rejected God would spend eternity in "torment in hell."

Sherine, 28, sought five-pound donations towards a "reassuring" counter-advertisement and won support from the BHA and atheist campaigner Professor Richard Dawkins.

Heather's employer First Bus said it would do everything it could to ensure that he did not have to drive the offending buses. After meetings with First Bus managers on Monday, Heather has agreed to return to work.

- in Yahoo News. it is remarkable how the driver stood up because of his faith.

Thanks Denise for sending me the e-mail about this.

LP: Asul (Blue)

noreply@blogger.com (arls) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:31:02 PST

Saigon Opera House, Vietnam

The opera house is obviously not blue, but when I was browsing through my album for this week's entry, the blue sky popped and made me look at it a second time. The architecture of the opera house has a french influence and is one of the most visited landmarks in Saigon City.

Hindi man asul ang Opera House, pero nung ako'y naghahanap sa aking album para ilahok sa linggong ito, nakita ko itong imahe and tila bang tumatawag-pansin ang napakatingkad na asul ng alapaap. Ang arkitektura nitong Opera House ay may impluwensiyang Pransiya at isa sa mga madalas bisitihan sa Saigon City.

+

I couldn't resist... the entry I made for "red" last week was trees lighted with red bulbs. Just wanted to post this tree with blue bulbs :)

the romance of letter writing

noreply@blogger.com (arls) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 05:41:46 PST

we're renovating our house a bit - kind of helping us move on after papa's passing away. and i was presented with my box of treasured letters. of course, with clutter cleaning, these are almost always the first to go. so i browsed through the letters and memories flooded me. i couldn't bear to throw them all away - so i kept those which are dear to me and hold significant events or words of encouragement from friends. i even found letters written by pen friends from turkey and spain. :) and some which were written long long time ago, but is still relevant today.

i miss letter-writing. the romance of choosing the paper to write on to the perfect pen that glides ever so-smoothly on the paper... now that to me is sheer joy.

i should start picking up my pen again.

LP: Pula

noreply@blogger.com (arls) — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 10:25:31 PST

Taken last November in Taiwan

Red is the ultimate cure for sadness. - Bill Blass

My second entry for Litratong Pinoy. This week's theme is RED.

Ang pinakamabisang gamot sa kalungkutan ay pula. - Bill Blass

Ito ang aking lahok sa linggong ito na ang kategory ay: PULA.

Moving on! :)

noreply@blogger.com (arls) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 02:40:22 PST

I received a kind reminder today :) And it made me smile and more refreshed. Finally, depression is over! :)

'To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.' When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better. 'The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.'

LP: Freestyle

noreply@blogger.com (arls) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 04:05:53 PST

The Father. The Son and the Holy Spirit. Spreading light throughout all the earth.

These are actually fireworks, but I can't seem to let go that this image was not random. :)

My first entry for Litratong Pinoy. :)

in Tagalog -
Ang Ama. Anak at Espritu Santo. Tila nagliliwanag sa lahat ng mundo.
Paputok man sya pero hindi ko maalis sa aking isipan na hindi ito random na imahe na aking nakunan.
Ito ang aking pinakaunang entry para sa Litratong Pinoy. :)

Miley Cyrus' "I Miss You"

noreply@blogger.com (arls) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 07:47:12 PST

I watched the Oprah show tonight and Miley performed a song about her Grandpa. Every start of the year, I always remember my dad. There was once a new year that I wrote a new song for him. This year, this song totally blew me away cause this is what I wanted to say to my dad all this time. That I miss him.

Link to Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knHYarxFvwA

Written and performed by Miley Cyrus

Sha la la la la
Sha la la la la

You used to call me your angel
Said I was sent straight down from heaven
You'd hold me close in your arms

I loved the way you felt so strong
I never wanted you to leave
I wanted you to stay here holding me

[CHORUS]
I miss you
I miss your smile
And I still she'd a tear
Every once in a while
And even though it's different now
You're still here somehow
My heart won't let you go
And I need you to know
I miss you, sha la la la la
I miss you

You used to call me your dreamer
And now I'm living out my dream
Oh how I wish you could see
Everything that's happening for me
I'm thinking back on the past
It's true that time is flying but too fast

[CHORUS]

I know you're in a better place, yeah
But I wish that I could see your face, oh
I know you're where you need to be
Even though it's not here with me

I miss you
I miss your smile
And I still she'd a tear
Every once in a while
And even though it's different now
You're still here somehow
My heart won't let you go
And I need you to know
I miss you, sha la la la la

I miss you
I miss your smile
And I still she'd a tear
Every once in a while
And even though it's different now
You're still here somehow
My heart won't let you go
And I need you to know
I miss you, sha la la la la

an early restrospect of the year that was

noreply@blogger.com (arls) — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 08:11:57 PST

11 days to go before Christmas... i've heard a lot of people say "it's beginning to look/smell/feel like Christmas". and although i am not in "high" spirits, i've been given chances to learn more about our "waiting" for Christ's coming through recollections, talks, e-mails, etc. and i'm happy going through so many rough patches this year and coming out more stronger and all these for His greater glory.

This year, i went through so many battles i know the only reason why i'm still here is because God has been taking care of me. He has sent so many instruments to strengthen me, to make me not lose my ground and to love Him more despite the difficulties. there are a lot of times i wanted so much to give up. it's a roller coaster of ups and downs and twists... but in the end, i know i can get past those rough patches because He knew i can and i am fulfilling His plan for me.

it's still goint to be rough, i know... but hopefully, the "blows" next year will not be as bad as this year... or i hope to handle it better next year. :)

Thanks to all of you who helped me get through my rough patches, and for still being here, never relenting and never losing patience over the countless times i've stumbled and fall. I sincerely thank you... you know who you guys are. Love you!

The year's not yet ending... and i really hope to experience more of the real reason for this holiday... that Christ came to save us, that God so loved the world He gave us His only Son. And through Jesus, we will always have hope that tomorrow indeed is a better day. :)

Tunay na Ligaya

noreply@blogger.com (arls) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 17:36:03 PST

I was able to hear this when I watched a concert by ChoPa (Chorus Paulinus). I fell in love with the song! It was really nice! Pwedeng pang-wedding!

TUNAY NA LIGAYA
Ryan Cayabyab)


'Di ko pansin ang kislap ng bituin 'pag kapiling ka sinta 
Kahit liwanag ng buwan sa gabi, 'di ko na nasisisita
Iisa lang ang naghaharing tala sa mundo
Tanging ikaw ang liwanag sa buhay ko

'Di ko pansin ang bango ng hasmin 'pag kapiling ka sinta
Kahit ga-dagat ang dami ng rosas hindi matataranta
Iisa lang ang nagtataglay ng halimuyak
At ikaw nga, tanging ikaw sinta

Ikaw ang tunay na ligaya, tanging ikaw sinta
Umaga, hapon, kahit magdamag, laging ikaw sinta
Hindi magsasawa sa piling mo

'Di ko pansin ang bawat sandali 'pag kapiling ka sinta
Bagyo't ulan, kidlat at kulog man, 'di napapansin sinta
Iisa lang ang hinihiling kong kasagutan, 
Ang ngayon at kailanma'y makapiling ka

Ikaw ang tunay na ligaya, tanging ikaw sinta
Umaga, hapon, kahit magdamag, laging ikaw sinta
Hindi magsasawa sa piling mo
Ikaw ang tunay na ligaya, tanging ikaw sinta
Umaga, hapon, kahit magdamag, laging ikaw sinta
Hindi magsasawa sa piling mo
(Ohhhh...ooohhh)

Hindi magsasawa sa piling mo
Ikaw ang tunay na ligaya, tanging ikaw sinta
Umaga, hapon, kahit magdamag, laging ikaw sinta
Hindi magsasawa sa piling mo

Tanging ikaw...
Hindi magsasawa sa piling mo...

vietnam sneak peak :)

noreply@blogger.com (arls) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 06:44:59 PST

i went to cu chi tunnels in vietnam today. after going here, i felt it was really interesting to go back to history and learn more about it...

anyway, cu chi tunnels are tunnels built by the cu chi guerillas during the resistance war with US. cu chi guerillas, brought about by hate for the americans (because they saw their parents and relatives killed at a very young age) made traps, tunnels, etc in this area and it was a real clever military tactics!

entered a 20m tunnel... and i'm telling you, it was so claustrophobic!!! it was even adjusted already so it can fit westerners! but it was still so small! and before... there were even no lights inside this tunnel. it was really amazing...

here's a snapshot on the entrance...

CATHOLICS CANNOT SUPPORT THE RH BILL

noreply@blogger.com (arls) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 04:13:54 PST

CATHOLICS CANNOT SUPPORT THE RH BILL
IN GOOD CONSCIENCE

A response to the position paper Catholics Can Support the RH Bill in Good Conscience

To the community of the Ateneo de Manila University:

We, alumni of our alma mater, wish to respond to the position paper authored by 14 members of our faculty. We laud our professors for a wide-ranging presentation on the Philippine social situation, most especially the undesirable effects of an unmanaged population growth to women, the poor and our young people. We commend their dedication to the integral human development of the Filipino people in these troubling times. However, with respect and fraternal charity towards them, we respond that Catholics cannot support the RH Bill in good conscience.

The question of which method Catholics can and should use in the regulation of birth has been resolved in the encyclical letter Humanae Vitae (quoted as HV)of Pope Paul VI. “…the Church teaches that married people may then take advantage of the natural cycles immanent in the reproductive system and engage in marital intercourse only during those times that are infertile, thus controlling birth in a way which does not in the least offend the moral principles” (HV 16).

Several questions—and indeed objections—arise from this teaching. We ask, “Is this teaching of the Holy Father definitive?” While the fact remains that Pope Paul VI did not issue the above-mentioned encyclical ex cathedra, it is also a fact that the Pope and the bishops are “authentic teachers, that is, teachers endowed with the authority of Christ” (Lumen Gentium 25). “The ordinary and universal Magisterium of the Pope and the bishops in communion with him teaches the faithful the truth to believe, the charity to practice, the beatitude to hope for” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2034).

We therefore distinguish between a solemn magisterium of the Church and an ordinary anduniversal magisterium (cf. Code of Canon Law 750). Catholics are exhorted to believe those things which are “proposed as divinely revealed either (italics ours) by the solemn magisteriumof the Church, or by its ordinary and universal magisterium” (ibid.). “All are therefore bound to shun any contrary doctrines” (ibid.). Since Humanae Vitae is an exercise of the ordinary teaching faculty of the Holy Father, we can rely on it to be a truthful and faithful interpretation of the teachings of Jesus Christ.

A second question arises, “How did Pope Paul VI arrive at such a pronouncement?” An extensive commentary on the encyclical is beyond the scope of this letter, but it will suffice for the moment to say that the Holy Father considered two points: the social situation of his time (and indeed of ours) and an authentic interpretation of the moral law. Very early in the encyclical, Pope Paul VI recognizes that “the changes that have taken place are of considerable importance” (HV 2). He comments on the rapid increase in population and the incommensurate increase in resources, and therefore the difficulty of raising a large family.

However, he is quick to clarify that while the Church encourages parents to be responsible in planning their families, responsible parenthood “concerns the objective moral order which was established by God and of which a right conscience (italics ours) is the true interpreter” (HV 10). Neither the Church nor the Pope can invent the truth about the sanctity of human life and the divine gift that is the sexual faculty. They can only articulate and clarify it, but never create it. In our effort to be a Church for the Poor and to look at reality from the poor’s perspective, we remember that it is only Jesus who is “the Way, the Truth and the Life” (John 14:6) and we look to the Church and the Pope, to whom the keys were given, for guidance and counsel.

A third objection surfaces, “What of the primacy of conscience?” The position paper of the professors states, “Catholic social teachings similarly recognize the primacy of the well-formed conscience over wooden compliance to directives from political and religious authorities” (page 13). While it is true that our conscience always bids us to follow its voice, “in the depths of his conscience, man detects a law which he does not impose upon himself, but which holds him in obedience” (Gaudium et Spes 16).

Following one’s conscience is therefore not a matter of what one “feels” or “thinks” to be right or wrong. Rather, conscience must stand as a “witness to the authority of truth (italics ours) in reference to the supreme Good to which the human person is drawn” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 177). The Catechism quotes John Henry Cardinal Newman who says, “[Conscience] is a messenger of him, who, both in nature and in grace, speaks to us behind a veil, and teaches and rules us by his representatives” (ibid. 1778). The task of conscience is therefore not to invent truth, but to discern what is true by listening to the voice of Jesus echoed by and through the Church.

It is important to understand that this argument does not lead to a “wooden compliance to directives.” Our faith, in St. Anselm’s words, is a faith that seeks understanding, fides quaerens intellectum. Catholics therefore do not blindly obey teachings just because they come from the Church. Rather, their faith bids them to seek to understand the mind, heart and spirit of the Church and make them his own.

In the Gospel of St. John, when the Lord told the crowd, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world” (6:51), some of his disciples said, “This is a hard saying; who can accept it?” (6:60). “As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him” (6:66). GK Chesterton poetically articulated this attitude when he said, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried.”

We are similarly faced with a “hard saying”—a faithful and true saying, but hard nevertheless. The Church is not blind to the plight of women, the poor and our young people, but as Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales recently affirmed, this issue is not simply a matter of demographics, economics or sociology. “It’s an ethical issue… It’s a moral issue.” The Church cannot alter the truth about the sanctity of life and the sexual faculty to provide a ready answer to our social dilemma. Catholics whose consciences are good and well formed, and are docile to the honest but firm voice of the Church are bound by conscience not to support the RH Bill. Rather, faced with strong opposition from every side, they turn to our Lord together with St. Peter and exclaim, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life!” (John 6:68).

arlene's view

SoundClick Widgets

Launching Soon

Early Morn of Maundy Thursday

LP: Paboritong Litrato

From Kerygma

the weekend that was

Seth Godin: Do you deserve it?

LP: Tipanan (Date)

LP: Puso (Heart)

LP: Tsokolate (Chocolate)

LP: Lila (Violet)

St Thomas Aquinas: Prayer for Guidance

Do Catholics Worship Statues?

Do Catholics Worship Statues?

LP: Kahel (Orange)

Christian refuses to drive "No God" bus

Christian refuses to drive "No God" bus

LP: Asul (Blue)

the romance of letter writing

LP: Pula

Moving on! :)

LP: Freestyle

Miley Cyrus' "I Miss You"

an early restrospect of the year that was

Tunay na Ligaya

vietnam sneak peak :)

CATHOLICS CANNOT SUPPORT THE RH BILL

CATHOLICS CANNOT SUPPORT THE RH BILL IN GOOD CONSCIENCEA response to the position paper Catholics Can Support the RH Bill in Good Conscience

CATHOLICS CANNOT SUPPORT THE RH BILL
IN GOOD CONSCIENCE

A response to the position paper Catholics Can Support the RH Bill in Good Conscience