Life is Good! All the time!

The FEAST: A Catholic Prayer Meeting

2012-01-05T09:19:00.001+08:00

The FEAST is the one of the happiest places on earth. It's a Catholic gathering/prayer meeting.

Find one near you! Come and be blessed!

Free Admission!

1. PICC

Sunday (3 sessions)

8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

10:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.

4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

PICC, Roxas Blvd.

2. Pasig

Sunday (2 sessions)

10:00 a.m. - 12 noon

1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Valle Verde Country Club (beside The ULTRA)

3. Quezon City ( 2 sessions)

Sunday 9:00 a.m. - 12 n.n.

Convention Hall, Bureau of Soils and Water Management,

Visayas Ave., Q.C.

Saturday 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

GT-Toyota Asian Center, Magsaysay St. cor. Katipunan Ave.

4. Alabang (4 sessions)

Sunday

11:00 a.m - 12:30 p.m.

1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday 7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

2/L X-site Entrance, Festival Mall, Alabang

Tel. No. 659-8299

5. Laguna

Sunday 10:00 a.m. - 12 n.n.

Cinema 1, SM City Sta. Rosa, Laguna

6. Cavite

Sunday 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Cinema 5, Robinson's Mall, Imus, Cavite

7. Taytay (2 sessions)

Sunday

8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Valley Fair Arcade, Ortigas Ext. Taytay, Rizal

8. Valenzuela

Sunday 1:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Cinema 1, SM Valenzuela, Valenzuela

Contact no. 09175789554

9. Ortigas (2 sessions)

Monday 7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Cinema 3, Robinsons Galleria,

F. Ortigas Ave., Pasig City

Sunday 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Meralco Fitness Hall, Meralco Compound,

Ortigas Center, Pasig City

10. Makati (2 sessions)

Thursday, 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

AIM Conference Center, Benavidez cor Paseo de Roxas

Sunday, 10:00 a.m. - 12 noon

Cinema 2, Makati Square

11. Manila (2 sessions)

Friday

4:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m

7:00 p.m.. - 10:00 p.m.

Cinema 4, SM Manila (near City Hall), Manila

12. Marilao (3 sessions)

Friday 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Barcelona Academy, Marilao, Bulacan

Saturday

5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Cinema 2, SM Marilao, Bulacan

13. Sucat

Friday 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Cinema 2, SM Sucat

14. Baliuag

Saturday 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Cinema 4, SM Baliuag, Bulacan

Contact no. 09175332756/2920044

15. Cardona

Saturday 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Queen Mary Help of Christians Hospital, National Road, Calahan, Cardona

16. Bonifacio Global City

Saturday 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Mercato Centrale, 8th Ave. cor 34th St. BGC

17. Antipolo

Saturday 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Eduardo's Taptapan Restaurant Circumferential Road

Brgy. San Roque, Antipolo City

18. CEBU

Tuesday 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

CAP Auditorium, Cebu City

Contact nos. 4128142/09212413801/09232908009

19. DAVAO

Sunday 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

4/L Alexian Brothers Health and Wellness Center, Matina, Davao City

Contact nos. 0822865081/0922251822

God said...

2011-03-25T14:36:00.001+08:00

If you never felt pain,
....then how would you know that I'm a Healer?

If you never went through difficulties,
....how would you know that I'm a Deliverer?

If you never had a trial,
....how could you call yourself an overcomer?

If you never felt sadness,
....how would you know that I'm a Comforter?

If you never made a mistake,
....how would you know that I'm forgiving?

If you knew all,
....how would you know that I will answer your questions?

If you never were in trouble,
....how would you know that I will come to your rescue?

If you never were broken,
....then how would know that I can make you whole?

If you never had a problem,
....how would you know that I can solve them?

If you never had any suffering,
....then how would you know what Jesus went through?

If you never went through the fire,
....then how would you become pure?

If I gave you all things,
....how would you appreciate them?

If I never corrected you,
....how would you know that I love you?

If you had all power,
....then how would you learn to depend on me?

If your life was perfect,
....then what would you need Me for?

Optimistic Creed

2011-02-07T12:32:00.001+08:00

I promise that this is my mission, commitment, and my way of being here, now, and always..

I know that...

I am so strong that my peace of mind is steadfast and imbues others.
I have joy, laughter, and love in every moment.
I talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person I meet.
I make all of my friends feel that there is so much worthwhile in them.
I look at the sunny side of everything, making my optimism a reality.
I see the beauty in nature, all creatures, and my fellow man.
I am free to choose whatever I desire.
I gladly express who I am.
I am at cause and create comfort and joy for myself and others.
I think only of that which is desired and expect only the best.
I am as enthusiastic about the successes of others as I am about my own.
I thank all that has happened to bring me to right here, right now, and I now realize the greatest achievements of my life.
I wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile to every living creature I meet.
I give so much to myself that it generously and lavishly spills onto others.
I gratefully and joyfully allow others to give to me.
I am conscious with constructive thought.
I am noble with caring for my fellow man.
I am courageous with following my heart.
I am mindful that all is well and in perfect order.
I think well of myself and proclaim this fact to the world in good deeds.
I am so very grateful for everything I have, everyone I know, and every opportunity in my life.
I live in the knowledge that the whole universe in on my side.
I am on my side, true to who I am!

Life is good! All the time!

Prayer for Purity

2011-02-02T16:33:00.002+08:00

Jesus, Lover of chastity, Mary, Mother most pure, and Joseph, chaste guardian of the Virgin, to you I come at this hour, begging you to plead with God for me. I earnestly wish to be pure in thought, word and deed in imitation of your own holy purity.

Obtain for me, then, a deep sense of modesty which will be reflected in my external conduct. Protect my eyes, the windows of my soul, from anything that might dim the luster of a heart that must mirror only Christlike purity.

And when the "Bread of Angels becomes the Bread of me" in my heart at Holy Communion, seal it forever against the suggestions of sinful pleasures.

Heart of Jesus, Fount of all purity, have mercy on us. Amen.

Prayer for a Good Husband or Wife

2011-02-02T16:32:00.000+08:00

O Jesus, lover of the young, the dearest Friend I have, in all confidence I open my heart to You to beg Your light and assistance in the important task of planning my future. Give me the light of Your grace, that I may decide wisely concerning the person who is to be my partner through life. Dearest Jesus, send me such a one whom in Your divine wisdom You judge best suited to be united with me in marriage. May her/his character reflect some of the traits of Your own Sacred Heart. May s/he be upright, loyal, pure, sincere and noble, so that with united efforts and with pure and unselfish love we both may strive to perfect ourselves in soul and body, as well as the children it may please You to entrust to our care. Bless our friendship before marriage, that sin may have no part in it. May our mutual love bind us so closely, that our future home may ever be most like Your own at Nazareth.

O Mary Immaculate, sweet Mother of the young, to your special care I entrust the decision I am to make as to my future wife/husband. You are my guiding Star! Direct me to the person with whom I can best cooperate in doing God's Holy Will, with whom I can live in peace, love and harmony in this life, and attain to eternal joys in the next. Amen.

The Triple-Filter Test

2010-12-10T14:37:00.000+08:00

Author Unknown

In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"

"Hold on a minute," Socrates replied. "Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be good idea to take a moment and filter what you’re going to say. That’s why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"

"Well, no," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and..."

"All right," said Socrates. "So you don’t really know if it’s true or not. Now, let’s try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?"

"Umm, no, on the contrary..."

"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about my friend, but you’re not certain it’s true. You may still pass the test though, because there’s one filter left—the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"

"No, not really."

"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither true, nor good, nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"

God's Message, December 9, 2010

2010-12-09T18:20:00.001+08:00

December
Thursday

TODAY'S READINGS:

DIDACHE | COMPANION | SABBATH

DIDACHE

GREAT ADVENTURE

For I am the Lord, your God, who grasp your right hand; It is I who say to you, “Fear not, I will help you.” – Isaiah 41:13

I once joined a 12-hour Amazing Race-type competition where we circled Bohol. At one point, we were required to go up a high bridge in Loboc and go through a zip line to the other side. A zip line is a pulley suspended on a cable mounted on an incline. The most scary part was that after they strapped me to the pulley, I had to let go. Looking at the height I could fall, I felt so weak I could hardly speak. My eyes pleaded for time while I weakly said, “Wait…”

Finally, I gained enough courage to say yes and I let go. Gravity pulled me down and I got zipped down wonderfully to the other side. I felt so exhilarated I wanted to do it again.

There are fearful and painful “things” in life. Things that make us lose our appetite and make us sob deep into the night. Things that make us curl up like a baby in pain, or keep us on our knees time and again. It is a great relief to hear God’s Word to us today, “Fear not, I will help you.” We might even be able to say afterwards, “It wasn’t as bad as I thought, Lord. With you, life is a great adventure.”Joy Sosoban (jsosoban@gmail.com)

REFLECTION:

Let’s follow our Leader / into the great unknown / This is the life like no other / This is the great adventure. (Steven Curtis Chapman)

Lord, hold my hand and don’t ever let me forget that You are always with me. Until the end of time.

Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top

COMPANION

1st READING

As tough as life may be and as tough as it will get at times, there is no reason to lose faith in God. He is there and He will be the one to see us through all our trials. Isaiah preaches to a people returning from exile and finding it difficult to reestablish their lives. It is important that we see this text as encouragement to persevere and take it to heart.

Isaiah 41:13-20

13 I am the LORD, your God, who grasp your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I will help you.” 14 Fear not, O worm Jacob, O maggot Israel; I will help you, says the LORD; your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. 15 I will make of you a threshing sledge, sharp, new, and double-edged, to thresh the mountains and crush them, to make the hills like chaff. 16 When you winnow them, the wind shall carry them off and the storm shall scatter them. But you shall rejoice in the LORD, and glory in the Holy One of Israel. 17 The afflicted and the needy seek water in vain, their tongues are parched with thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. 18 I will open up rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the broad valleys; I will turn the desert into a marshland, and the dry ground into springs of water. 19 I will plant in the desert the cedar, acacia, myrtle, and olive; I will set in the wasteland the cypress, together with the plane tree and the pine, 20 That all may see and know, observe and understand, that the hand of the LORD has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it.

P S A L M

Psalm 145:1, 9, 10-11, 12-13ab

R: The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great kindness.

1 I will extol you, O my God and King, and I will bless your name forever and ever. 9 The LORD is good to all and compassionate toward all his works. (R) 10 Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD, and let your faithful ones bless you. 11 Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might. (R) 12 Let them make known to men your might and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. 13 Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages, and your dominion endures through all generations. (R)

G O S P E L

If we want to be a disciple of Jesus and survive we will have to be willing to fight for what we believe. If we are not, then we have already lost. We have to be willing to give all we are in His service and hold nothing back from Him. God is interested in us being “all out” for Him. If we are, all things will be possible.

Matthew 11:11-15

11 Jesus said to the crowds: “Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force. 13 All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is to come. 15 Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

my reflections

think: We have to be willing to give all that we are in God’s service and hold nothing back from Him.

God’s special verse/thought for me today________________

_________________________________________________________

T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

_______________________________________________________

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Daniel 4-6

Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top

SABBATH

“FEAR NOT , I WILL HELP YOU ”

This year we are not celebrating the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (since it falls on a Sunday, December 12). Nevertheless we are still blessed, because today is the feast of St. Juan Diego. He is, of course, no other than the man to whom the Blessed Mother appeared on December 9, 1531, on the Tepeyac Hill. And as if that wasn’t yet enough, a miraculous image of Mary was imprinted on a mantle brought by Juan Diego — Mary’s image now known throughout the world as Our Lady of Guadalupe.

There is indeed something miraculous, something baffling in the whole thing. So it is somehow with the person of John the Baptizer, our designated Advent guide. In fact, the statement of Jesus about him in the Gospel today is paradoxical: “History has not

known a man born of a woman greater than John the Baptizer. Yet the least born into the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

This apparently contradictory statement is true, because Jesus was making not so much a comparison of persons, as one of eras in Salvation History. Still, Jesus also put it more clearly and categorically for his listeners: “[John the Baptizer] is Elijah, the one who was certain to come.”

We need not end up confused. Even poor Juan Diego received an assurance from Mary when his bishop doubted and asked him for proof of the apparition. Isaiah in our First Reading serves for us as God’s mouthpiece, “I am the Lord, your God, who grasp[s] your right hand; It is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’”

Fr. Martin Macasaet, SDB

Reflection Question:

In times of trouble and confusion, do you rely on God? Or do you proudly try to figure things out by yourself?

You have made perfect plans for my life, O God. May I be brave enough to face trials, knowing that You are constantly there to help me.

St. Balda, pray for us.

Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top

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The Feast is one of the happiest places on earth

Maried Life, Change of Status, Unmarried

2010-11-30T17:55:00.005+08:00

1 Corinthians 7 (NIV)

Concerning Married Life
1 Now for the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. 3 The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. 5 Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7 I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.

8 Now to the unmarried[a] and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. 9 But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

10 To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. 11 But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.

12 To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.

15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. 16 How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

Concerning Change of Status
17 Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. 18 Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts. 20 Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.

21 Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. 22 For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave. 23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings. 24 Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.

Concerning the Unmarried
25 Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. 26 Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. 27 Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife. 28 But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.

29 What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; 30 those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; 31 those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

32 I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. 33 But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— 34 and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. 35 I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.

36 If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong[b] and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married. 37 But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing. 38 So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does better.

39 A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord. 40 In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is—and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.

Pope Benedict and the Condom Question

2010-11-23T15:35:00.006+08:00

by Fr. Joel O. Jason

(In response to many questions I received regarding the days headline connected with Pope Benedict and the condom question, I offer the following as clarifying points to ponder on. Please post it on your profile and share with as many friends you can. For our collective guidance. Thanks!)

It was Sunday night (November 21, 2010) and I was readying myself to sleep. I turned on the TV to while away the time. Half asleep and half awake, I remember vaguely seeing in the running headlines at CNN, something connected with Pope Benedict and the issue of condoms. Too sleepy to even listen in, I switched off the television and went to sleep. Monday morning I woke up with text messages from friends inquiring about the supposed "turn around" in the Church’s teaching regarding condom use.

True enough, international as well as local journal headlines read:

“Pope says condoms are justified in fight against HIV”

“Pope says condoms are acceptable in some cases”

“Pope softens on teaching on Condoms, Aids and Contraception”

“Pope: Condom use OK for fight against AIDs”

So for the sake of intellectual integrity, I decided to do some research and found out that what started it all was a supposed “leaked” German interview the Pope granted to journalist Peter Seewald in an upcoming book yet to be released entitled “Light of the World: The Pope, The Church and the Signs of the Times”. To let you in on what the Pope really said, allow me to show you an excerpt of the transcript of the interview connected with the condom question:

From Chapter 11, “The Journeys of a Shepherd,” pages 117-119:

Peter Seewald:
On the occasion of your trip to Africa in March 2009, the Vatican’s policy on AIDs once again became the target of media criticism. Twenty-five percent of all AIDs victims around the world today are treated in Catholic facilities. In some countries, such as Lesotho, for example, the statistic is 40 percent. In Africa you stated that the Church’s traditional teaching has proven to be the only sure way to stop the spread of HIV. Critics, including critics from the Church’s own ranks, object that it is madness to forbid a high-risk population to use condoms.

Pope Benedict:
The media coverage completely ignored the rest of the trip to Africa on account of a single statement. Someone had asked me why the Catholic Church adopts an unrealistic and ineffective position on AIDs. At that point, I really felt that I was being provoked, because the Church does more than anyone else. And I stand by that claim. Because she is the only institution that assists people up close and concretely, with prevention, education, help, counsel, and accompaniment. And because she is second to none in treating so many AIDs victims, especially children with AIDs.

I had the chance to visit one of these wards and to speak with the patients. That was the real answer: The Church does more than anyone else, because she does not speak from the tribunal of the newspapers, but helps her brothers and sisters where they are actually suffering. In my remarks I was not making a general statement about the condom issue, but merely said, and this is what caused such great offense, that we cannot solve the problem by distributing condoms. Much more needs to be done (emphasis mine).We must stand close to the people, we must guide and help them; and we must do this both before and after they contract the disease.

As a matter of fact, you know, people can get condoms when they want them anyway.But this just goes to show that condoms alone do not resolve the question itself (emphasis mine). More needs to happen. Meanwhile, the secular realm itself has developed the so-called ABC Theory: Abstinence-Be Faithful-Condom, where the condom is understood only as a last resort, when the other two points fail to work. This means that the sheer fixation on the condom implies a banalization of sexuality, which, after all, is precisely the dangerous source of the attitude of no longer seeing sexuality as the expression of love, but only a sort of drug that people administer to themselves (emphasis mine). This is why the fight against the banalization of sexuality is also a part of the struggle to ensure that sexuality is treated as a positive value and to enable it to have a positive effect on the whole of man’s being.

There may be a basis in the case of some individuals, as perhaps when a male prostitute uses a condom, where this can be a first step in the direction of a moralization, a first assumption of responsibility, (The preceding is the only sentence the secular media focused on to reach their conclusions) on the way toward recovering an awareness that not everything is allowed and that one cannot do whatever one wants. But it is not really the way to deal with the evil of HIV infection.That can really lie only in a humanization of sexuality (emphasis mine).

(The next question and answer was totally ignored by the secular media in their reporting)

Peter Seewald:
Are you saying, then, that the Catholic Church is actually not opposed in principle to the use of condoms?

Pope Benedict:
She of course does not regard it as a real or moral solution (emphasis mine), but, in this or that case, there can be nonetheless, in the intention of reducing the risk of infection,a first step in a movement toward a different way, a more human way, of living sexuality (emphasis mine).

So with the full text in question now presented, what conclusions can we derive?

First things first. There is a principle in Biblical interpretation that goes:

“A text, out of context, is pretext.”

It means that every text of the Bible should be understood in its integral context: in the unity of the whole message of a chapter, of a series of books, of the theology of the writer, and even the unity of the whole Biblical message. Taken in isolation, a text in the Bible can be reduced to a pretext, i.e., a half-truth or at worst, a misleading misinterpretation.

The headlines we read above, regarding the supposed change Benedict proposes on the consistent sexual ethics of the Church connected with condoms and HIV, are clear examples of a text taken out of context. As you can see, Pope Benedict gave a long answer to a rather short question. I highlighted the parts that spell out clearly Benedicts’ convictions as well as that of the Church’s. What some interpreters took out in isolation was that part where it says, “There may be a basis in the case of some individuals, as perhaps when a male prostitute uses a condom, where this can be a first step in the direction of a moralization, a first assumption of responsibility…”. They did not even finish the whole sentence.

With these laid out, so what now did Pope Benedict NOT say?
First of all, this is a personal interview. Pope Benedict is not speaking here in his capacity as the Supreme Teacher of the Catholic faith. What you find in the book are not proposed as official teachings nor pronouncements being sent out to the Catholic faithful. Some of the things we can read here can even fall in the category of personal opinions and therefore do not and cannot present themselves as official Magisterial teachings. If the Pope wants to hold out a new teaching based on his reasoned discernment as the Successor of Peter, a personal interview is not the place to do it. Everyone who knows basic Catechism understands this, much more the Pope. And so headlines claiming, “Pope changes teaching on Condoms, Contraception and HIV”, or “Pope: Condoms OK in fight Against AIDS” are totally way out of line.2.Nowhere in the text of Pope Benedict’s response can we find a summary justification of the morality of condom use. This is clear in the texts I highlighted. Let me highlight them once again:“…that we cannot solve the problem by distributing condoms. Much more needs to be done,” ; “…But this just goes to show that condoms alone do not resolve the question itself” ; “ This means that the sheer fixation on the condom implies a banalization of sexuality, which, after all, is precisely the dangerous source of the attitude of no longer seeing sexuality as the expression of love, but only a sort of drug that people administer to themselves” ; “…But it is not really the way to deal with the evil of HIV infection.That can really lie only in a humanization of sexuality.” I don’t see how the quotes above translate to “Pope OKs condom use”. On the contrary,the above quotations reflect the consistent conviction of the Church regarding condom use vis a vis HIV/AIDs: that condoms are not the solution. If at all, they contribute to the perpetuation of the problem.

In scientific circles, it is openly admitted that condoms are in fact not 100% safe. On an average, it is said that there is a 10-15% inefficacy, since the AIDS viruses are much more ‘filtrating’ (i.e., able to pass through) than the sperm. Google “condom voids”and you will discover that the male sperm is small enough to easily pass through the pores/natural voids of the rubber latex, thus the 10-15% failure rate as a contraceptive. Condoms have natural microscopic holes which measure 5 micron (.0002 inches) while the HIV virus measures 0.1 micron (4 millionth of an inch). It’s a no-brainer. Prescribing condoms as a protection for HIV and AIDS is a virtual Russian roulette. Sooner or later, you will have it. It’s only a matter of time. Therefore, even at a “technical” level of efficacy, one should question the scientific seriousness and the consequent professional seriousness of the condom campaign.

Condoms can only reduce the risk of infection. And with the fatally serious threat of HIV/AIDs, risk reduction is not acceptable. Prevention is the only acceptable option. And prevention is only served by abstinence (for the unmarried) and monogamy and fidelity (for the married).

In the first place, Pope Benedict’s response was not even a direct commentary on the possible moral justification of condom use, clearly not for contraception. He was making a moral speculation on what may be going on in the heart of one (a male prostitute ) who uses the condom in a homosexual sex act.

What did Pope Benedict intend to say?

Pope Benedict was specific in his response. He spoke of a “male prostitute” who uses a condom. What the Pope stressed was not that condom use is OK in the case of a male prostitute engaged in heterosexual or homosexual acts. He merely said that “this can be a first step in the direction of a moralization, a first assumption of responsibility…” Perhaps an analogy can help us appreciate what the Pope is saying (for this point I will modify a principle I picked up from lay moral theologian Janet Smith).

There are two robbers. One uses a real knife with a real intent to kill and harm. The other, uses a plastic knife, because he does not intend to kill. He only intends to frighten and intimidate. Both men will be committing an evil act. But obviously, between the two, it is the one who employs a plastic knife that shows at least a hint, a semblance, a little amount of moral responsibility which hopefully, can still mature to a real and correct kind of moral responsibility that will let him realize that robbing people is an evil option to take. Does this mean the Church will teach that it is “OK” and moral to rob people using a toy knife? No. The Church simply says that between the two, the one with the toy knife is the one that manifests a semblance of an “assumption of moral responsibility”, immature it may be.

The same logic can be applied to Pope Benedict’s example. Obviously, the mere fact that the person used a condom indicates a “semblance of responsibility.” One who engages in prostituted sex without a condom, shows a total absence of moral responsibility, for himself or for the other. Compared to this one, one who uses a condom at least shows a hint of “assuming a responsibility” which Benedict hopes can be a “first step in the direction of a moralization” i.e., hopefully it can develop to a more correct kind of responsibility, not in the direction of regular condom use, as secular interpreters assumed, but, as Benedict finished his sentence, (which the secular media left out), “on the way toward recovering an awareness that not everything is allowed and that one cannot do whatever one wants. But it is not really the way to deal with the evil of HIV infection. That can really lie only in a humanization of sexuality.”

As we see here, Pope Benedict is too deep a theologian and a thinker to be presented from a shallow and surface level interpretation. The Pope and the Church’s consistent ethical teachings deserve more than that. We pray that the media may also assume responsibility in reporting matters especially those related to faith and morals. We pray that intellectual integrity and professionalism may not be sacrificed for the sake of ideology, sensationalism and paper sales.

The Mouse Trap

2010-11-08T11:26:00.002+08:00

Author: Unknown

One day, a mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. "What food might this contain?" The mouse wondered - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap. Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning. "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it."

The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The pig sympathized, but said, "I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers."

The mouse turned to the cow and said "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose." So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap alone.

That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital, and she returned home with a fever. Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient.

But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig. The farmer's wife did not get well; she died. So many people came for her funeral; the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.

The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.

***
So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and you think it doesn’t concern you, remember–When one of us is threatened, we are all at risk. We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.

Each of us is a vital thread in another person’s tapestry. Our lives are woven together for a reason.

"Just like a sunbeam can't separate itself from the sun, and a wave can't separate itself from the ocean, we can't separate ourselves from one another. We are all part of a vast sea of love, one indivisible divine mind."
— ☼ Marianne Williamson

The Condom Conundrum

2010-11-03T16:26:00.002+08:00

By Fr. Joel O. Jason

{K} Kerygma Magazine

No. 241 Vol. 20 June 2010

In its February 2010 issue, Time magazine ran an article on Dr. David Ho, a scientist very active in researching over an antibody that he believes would prevent HIV infection. Interestingly, the article narrated a 2007 incident when, in an AIDS conference where Dr. Ho was in attendance, a presenter flashed a cartoon of a blindfolded baseball player swinging mightily at an incoming ball and, of course, missing. I’m not sure what the purpose of the presenter was. But according to Time, the imagery was clear. The blindfolded baseball player was Dr. Ho and his team, and the incoming fast ball was AIDS. It was another futile swing and a miss — one of the many in humanity’s long battle with HIV and AIDS.

I admire Dr. Ho and his team for their dedication and humane passion to eradicate the challenge of AIDS. But I thought that cartoon incident offers volumes of commentaries over the issue.

It reminded me of a story I read before.

A bull that has been working in the bull ring for several years finally retired. Talking to a fellow retiree, he shared his conundrum (i.e., a paradoxical, insoluble, or difficult problem or dilemma). In utter frustration he shared, “For years I have been chasing after that red cape and I never really did catch it. How do I solve the problem of that red cape?” The fellow retiree whispered, “Just between us, the problem is not the cape. It’s the matador. Eliminate the matador and you eliminate that pestering cape as well.”

This Aesop’s fable explains why the bull was always painted as a dumb animal. It charges mindlessly, without thought, without purpose. Driven by inordinate passion and sheer instinct, it chases its target clueless and not knowing that the real target should be something or someone else. The result: frustration, energy spent in futility and, for some, even death at the hands of the matador.

Isn’t this our collective experience so far in our long standing battle with AIDS? It has been more than 25 years since the pandemic and we all look like a blindfolded baseball player swinging mightily at an incoming AIDS fastball — frustrated, spent and, for some, dead. The rate of HIV transmission and AIDS continues to swell. Just last March, the DOH noted an alarming increase in HIV cases among the young and specially the MSM (men having sex with men) sector in the country.

In February 14, 2010 the Department of Health placed itself at the center of discussion with its distribution of free condoms to celebrate “love” day. When called to task for such actions, the DOH explained that it’s the Department’s way of battling the HIV and STD transmission. It was to remind people to have safe sex. I was asking myself, “What is safe sex?” More properly, since when has sex become unsafe anyway?

In the Beginning, It Was Not So

Once, I was at a conference with young professionals and I was sharing with them John Paul II’s Theology of the Body.¹ During the open forum a guy came up and asked, “Father, is having a good sex life important?” I was a bit surprised. Gathering my senses, I answered, “It depends what you mean by good.” “If by good sex you mean sex whenever, wherever and with whomever I want,” I continued, “then my answer is no.” Then I concluded, “ But if by good sex you mean, sex as God intended it to be, then by all means, go and have good sex.”

When we read in the Bible, “(t)hen God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it’” (Genesis 1:28), God was telling the first man and woman to have sex. God created sex. Genesis 1:31 concludes by saying, “And God looked at what He has created and it was good.”

Sex is among the things God has created. Therefore sex is good, sex is safe. Notice that sex and the ability of the woman to bear a child is the first thing that God blessed in the world (see Genesis 1:28). John Paul II calls it the world’s “primordial blessing.” But why do we now speak of the need to be protected from “unsafe sex” and the need to have “safe sex”?

It is not because sex is naturally unsafe. It is our behavior and the inordinate desires of our hearts that has made sex unsafe. No scientific literature will contest that sexually transmitted diseases like HIV and others are not natural by-products of sex. God did not make sex with HIV and STD on the side. They are the by-products of irresponsible sexual behavior. Christ calls it in the Gospel of Matthew as the “hardness of our hearts.” It is our “sex whenever, wherever and with whomever” mentality that has ruined the world’s primordial blessing and morphed it into the modern world’s primordial threat. Case in point, no one who is practicing abstinence or monogamy and fidelity has ever contracted HIV or any other STDs (unless he is a drug user and may have used an infected needle).

So how do we make sex safe and redeem it back as the world’s primordial blessing? Unless we change our behavior and look into the “hardness of our hearts,” we remain a hapless bull and a blindfolded baseball player, helplessly missing the point. No one in his right mind will contest that abstinence (if you are single) and monogamy/fidelity (if you are married) are the only 100 percent ways of eliminating the HIV and AIDS menace. But why aren’t we considering it? It is not because it doesn’t work. It is because we are not willing to give it a try. It’s the hardness of our hearts.

The Heart of the Matter

I once read of a man suffering from obesity due to his uncontrollable desire for food. To remedy the situation, he underwent an operation to shorten his small intestines to simulate the feeling of being full even with a little amount of food. It didn’t work. The man developed new complications. His intestines were close to bursting with continuous food intake. What’s the problem? The problem is not with food. The problem is not with his small intestines. The real problem is with his heart — his inordinate desire for food. Even if all of his intestines are taken away, the problem will remain unless he corrects his attitude.

Similarly, the problem of STDs and HIV is not about sex. It is not an issue of disease control but self-control. It is not a technical problem. It is ultimately a problem of the human heart and it will not be solved apart from correcting the desires of our hearts.

The Condom Files

Last March 19, 2009, the National Review Online reported in its publication the results of the work of Edward C. Green, director of the AIDS Prevention Research Project at the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies. In his recent study he announced, “We have found no consistent associations between condom use and lower HIV-infection rates, which, 25 years into the pandemic, we should be seeing if this intervention was working.”

We should not be surprised at this. In scientific circles, it is openly admitted that condoms are in fact not 100 percent safe. On an average, it is said that there is a 10 to 15 percent inefficacy, since the AIDS viruses are much more ‘filtrating’ (i.e., able to pass through) than the sperm. Google “condom voids” and you will discover that the male sperm is small enough to easily pass through the pores or natural voids of the rubber latex, thus the 10 to 15 percent failure rate as a contraceptive. Condoms have natural microscopic holes, which measure 5 microns (.0002 inch) while the HIV virus measures 0.1 micron (4 millionth of an inch). It’s a no-brainer. Prescribing condoms as a protection for HIV and AIDS is a virtual Russian roulette. Sooner or later, you will have it. It’s only a matter of time. Therefore, even at a “technical” level of efficacy, one should question the scientific seriousness and the consequent professional seriousness of the condom campaign.

Speaking to the National Review Online, Mr. Green added, “The pope is correct, or put it a better way, the best evidence we have supports the pope’s comments. (T)here is… a consistent association shown by our best studies, including the U.S.-funded ‘Demographic Health Surveys,’ between greater availability and use of condoms and higher (not lower) HIV-infection rates.”

Green added, “I also noticed that the pope said ‘monogamy’ was the best single answer to African AIDS, rather than ‘abstinence.’ The best and latest empirical evidence indeed shows that reduction in multiple and concurrent sexual partners is the most important single behavior change associated with reduction in HIV-infection rates.”

Missing the Mark

In ancient Greece, archery is a sport of excellence, a measure of greatness. Failing to hit the bullseye is considered a great failure. They have a term for it — hamartia, i.e., missing the mark. It’s no coincidence the Greek word for sin is likewise hamartia. Sin, or moral failure, is not only about breaking a moral law. It is missing the mark of human excellence, of true manhood (humanity).

More than the threat of HIV and AIDS, the Church looks at the issue as a question of growing in authentic love and in our humanity as sexual persons. With or without the threat of HIV/AIDS and STDs, the Church has always called and will call for an education in chastity, premarital abstinence and marital fidelity, which are authentic expressions of human sexuality. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave out the invitation to experience the joy and thrill of being chaste. Secular mentality proposes an attitude of always being on a chase.

Look at a recent TV ad showing in local television. A sexy woman passes by, looks seductively at a man of her fancy, and the man begins to run after her. Whether the man or the woman is committed to one another or to another one is not important. The point of the TV ad is best described by the sheepish smile and boast of the male lead, “Ang tunay na lalaki, proteksyon bago umaksyon.” It’s a “bullish” portrayal of manhood. If I feel like charging, I will, for as long as I have protection. No wonder our relationships leave us frustrated, spent, dead.

Jason Evert, a husband, father, chastity speaker and Theology of the Body enthusiast couldn’t have said it more eloquently, “A real man is not someone who will conquer a woman for the sake of his desires. A real man is someone who will conquer his desires for the sake of a woman.”

What kind of manhood does condom distribution promote? Your answer is as good as mine.

The Thrill of the Chaste

I end with another fable. An eagle egg was accidentally mixed with chicken eggs. After a period of time, the eagle egg hatched and soon the eaglet found itself growing in the company of chickens. All the while, he thought he was a chicken, a ground creature. Until one day, he saw an eagle soaring up in the heavens. Something in him was stirred. He found himself constantly looking up in the heavens, waiting for the eagle to soar by. The image of the soaring eagle seemed to awaken a deep unconscious desire in his heart. Until one day, while admiring the flying eagle, he just found himself flapping his wings, lifting himself up in the air, and soaring with the eagle he daily admired. It was then that he realized he was not a chicken. He was an eagle destined to soar up in the heavens.

It took the image of a soaring eagle to reveal to him his genuine identity.

Our culture wants us to believe that we are nothing but chickens — ground creatures. I hear it often. Someone will say, “Father, palay na ang lumalapit sa manok.² Ano pa ang gagawin ko? (Father, if it’s the grain that approaches the chicken, what will I do?)” I always answer back, “Kung manok ang tingin mo sarili mo, eh di tukain mo (If you think of yourself as a chicken, then go peck the grain).”

The first line of the morality section of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (#1691) richly says it, “Christians, recognize your dignity.” The Church position on the condom question is more than a question of technical efficacy (although even by technical efficacy, the Church position is unarguably the best solution). It is a question of educating and inviting us to discover the joy of genuine love, the beauty of genuine human sexuality and our nobility as human persons.

Is AIDS really an untouchable fastball? Is the red cape really invincible? Maybe we’re just blindfolded and simply “bullish” in our approach. In any case, we are missing the mark. How do we solve the condom conundrum? I propose we take our blindfold, get wise, stop our “bullish” behavior and start aiming at the real mark. Otherwise, like a mindless bull we will forever be on a chase, missing out on the real thrill of the chaste.

----------------------------------

¹Fr. Joel O. Jason is also the author of the book “Free Love, True Love: Rediscovering Love and Intimacy in John Paul II’s Theology of the Body” published by Shepherd’s Voice Publications and available at major bookstores

nationwide. The Theology of the Body is the late John Paul II’s teaching on the beautiful and truly liberating teaching of the Bible on the meaning of human love and sexuality. The book is now on its third printing.

²A Filipino idiomatic expression for a woman who makes the first move to attract a man

Are You A Real Man?

2010-11-03T09:53:00.000+08:00

(By Bo Sanchez)
http://bosanchez.ph/are-you-a-real-man/

The crisis of the world today is a crisis for real manhood.

My eldest boy Bene is turning 7 this month and he’s thrilled. One reason: I’m making him a special manhood “Ritual of Passage” for his 7th birthday. I told him it’s the first of a three-part series: The first at age 7, the second at age 14, and the third at age 21. I copied this pattern from the knighthood culture, where a boy becomes a “Page” at age 7, a “Squire” at age 14, and a “Knight” at age 21—and since my son loved reading about knights, he’s giddy with excitement. I’ve learned that ancient and medieval cultures always had great manhood “Rituals of Passage”. The Jews have the Bar Mitzvah. Australian Aboriginal Tribes had circumcision. African Tribes sent their boys into the wilderness—alone.

But prior to these ceremonies, Dads usually passed on their craft to their son. That meant countless hours teaching their boys how to hunt boar, or saw wood, or shape iron, or throw a spear. Fathers also taught their sons how to endure difficulty and pain so they could fight for what they loved.

But once they got initiated in these rituals, the boys knew without a doubt that they were no longer boys, but men. They took the leap—from irresponsibility to responsibility, from being carefree to being disciplined, from ignorance to wisdom, from being a follower to being a leader.

Today, we no longer have these “Rituals of Passage”. Why? Because we don’t know what a real man is anymore.

Some guys think they can prove their manhood by getting drunk or picking a fight.

Manhood, my foot. Drunks are Sissies with a capital S. And hot-headed bullies are really disguised kids still throwing temper tantrums.

Real men have so much respect for themselves, they prize their self-control.

Because we don’t know what real manhood is, many boys, for most of their teen-age life, lose their way. For many years, they get stuck in limbo. They don’t know who they are or where they should go.

As Christian Dads, we need to teach what real manhood is to our sons and also recreate “Rituals of Passage” for them today.

For example, before my son’s “Page” ceremony on his 7th birthday, I’ll have 3 weekly father-and-son sessions with him. I’ll bring him out to his favorite restaurant (Thank God it’s inexpensive Jollibee), and while he eats his burger steak with mushroom sauce, I’ll discuss with him the 3 virtues necessary for a Page: Responsibility, Obedience, and Service—one virtue per weekly date. I’ll read stories, answer his questions, and give examples.

And here’s the hard part: I’ll give him specific projects to do connected to these virtues. It could mean doing things he never did before—like walking to Lolo’s house on his own to visit and serve him.

And on his birthday itself, we’ll have his “Page” ceremony. All the men in the family (his Lolo, Uncles, etc.) will gather around him. We’ll ask Bene to offer a symbol of his being a “Page for the Lord”—which would be a pair of brown sandals. We then bless him, sing a song, and invite the women of the family to join us for a festive meal together.

I’m going to be very blunt here.

Do you know why the world is in crisis today?

I’ll tell you why: Because men don’t know how to become real men.

Because fathers don’t train their sons how to live life.

Because fathers don’t raise their sons in the ways of the Lord.

Because fathers don’t mentor their sons to take responsibility.

Because fathers don’t teach their sons how to relate to women.

Because fathers don’t love and protect their wives.

Because fathers don’t lead their families towards a vision.

They’re cowards. They’re macho on the outside but flakes on the inside. They’re irresponsible. They’re passive. They’re parasitic jello.

Fathers don’t really “father” their kids on a daily basis. They leave childrearing to the mothers. They have no vision for their families.

Make no mistake about it. Families are in crisis today because we lack godly husbands and godly fathers.

The crisis of the world today is a crisis for manhood.

Let me give you this set of facts you may not know:

· Men commit 90% of major crimes.

· Men commit 100% of all rapes.

· Men commit 95% of all thefts.

· Men commit 91% of all offences against the family.

· Men commit 94% of all drunk drivers.

In one study, they asked fathers how much time they spent with their kids.

They were very honest and apologized that because of their busy schedule, they could only spend 15 minutes a day with their kids. After the interview, these same fathers were equipped with audio recorders—and for the next few days—the behavioural scientists measured the actual time they spent with their children. Average time a father spends with kids? 45 seconds a day.

No joke.

By the way, raising your children isn’t just about spending time with them. A father could be spending time with his children watching TV. Hearts don’t engage when you sit passively in front of the idiot box.

Here are the three things fathers need to do with their kids.

First, you bond with them.
Play with them. Laugh with them. Do things they enjoy doing. Because my sons are small, I play their games, no matter how silly they seem to me. “Waste” your time with them, doing what you may consider totally unproductive. In reality, playing with your kids is the most productive thing you can ever do as a human being.

Second, you teach values.
Yes guys, you actually open your lips. Not classroom lectures, mind you. But you tell stories. Exciting, inspiring stories. Don’t leave this to Mom. Men, pick good books and read stories to your sons. Stories of courage. Stories of service. Stories of heroism. Stories about God.

Third, you pray together.
That’s right, Dads. Don’t let Mom be the priestess at home. You’re the priest of the family, so act like one. On Judgment Day, God won’t first ask the mother, “Did you bring your family closer to Me?” He’ll ask this important question to Dad first. Fathers, let your children watch you pray and see your heart for the Lord.

How can you do all these three assignments if you don’t spend at least a weekly date with each of your kids?

Fatherhood isn’t for wimps. It’s requires men of steel. It requires rocklike warriors totally committed to winning the battle for the hearts of their children.

Will you be a real man?

Do you hate your job?

2010-09-16T09:10:00.003+08:00

Attend the Hands On Workshop to teach you How To Make Money Online conducted by Jomar Hilario.

Jomar Hilario is widely regarded as Bo Sanchez’ internet marketing guru. Practical Internet Marketing Done Using Personal Experience, endorsed by Bo Sanchez and Larry Gamboa. Find out how you can earn dollars using Web 2.0, Virtual Assistants, Blogging, more. The Tim Ferris and Tony Robbins of the Philippines.

If you are in Manila, click here: http://bit.ly/manilaworkfromhome
If you are in Cebu, click here: http://bit.ly/cebuworkfromhome

Here is an honest review from Jomar Hilario’s workshop and event:

3 Reasons Why I had Second Thoughts About You

Dear Jomar,

The truth is, when I saw you during Bo's Financial Coaching Program, I had serious doubts about your workshop. But it was fated that I had already signed up and paid the course way before that, otherwise I probably wouldn't have.

Why?

First, because you look so darn young...before you gloat, let me add that I was sitting quite far and I didn't have my glasses (sorry to burst your bubble!) Second is, you talk too fast for me.

And then you sent us the homework. That's where I got the third reason --- you're too strict! You kept on reiterating that if we couldn't do this or that, then send somebody else because the workshop is not for us...or something to that effect.

All these of course changed when I saw you in action at the workshop. You still look young, talks too fast, and pretty strict but I totally respect and value the lessons I've learned from you. Your tips are priceless! So all in all, you are worth it!

A few things I noted that could be improved for next time, for your consideration:
1) Know your audience mixture: are they all beginners, or moderately or highly knowledgeable in computers/internet --- what's the mixture like? This way, you'd know if you really do need to tell them how to cut and paste and how many times do you need to emphasize this
2) Make sure your handouts are updated!
3) An outline of your workshop would provide the attendees a better understanding on what to expect during the course so we can prepare too our questions, and we would have an idea how much we have covered during the workshop.

All in all, the workshop was a success, and something that I would recommend to my friends.

Congratulations!

Best regards,
Ellen

Hi Jomar,

Here are some of my observations/review for the 03-04 Sept Internet Marketing Workshop:
1) The computer shop/venue is very accessible, but the computers sometimes hang/slow down.
2) The assistants/facilitators
a) Many are very helpful, they know what to do, I' AM THANKFUL TO THEM.
b) A few don't know what to do if the participants ask them.
3) The PM portion of the 2nd day was fast, some/many are having difficulty to follow.
4) Over all it was a good workshop I learned so many things like: Jim Rohn, Earl Nightingale - MENTORS / VERY IMPORTANT keyboard shortcuts, page rank, keywords, traffic Blogs, Adsense, Adwords, Estimated CPC, Rules on keywords, competitors Multiple Streams of Income using the Internet Autoresponders, How to promote online etc.

Thank you very much for sharing to us your knowledge & sharing to us the PLAN/WORKSHOP

Best regards,
Dexier

********
For Manila workshop, click here.
For Cebu workshop, click here.
To know more about Jomar, click here.

A Time for Everything

2010-08-27T17:23:00.000+08:00

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15

¹There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven ~

² A time to give birth, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted.

³ A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to tear down, and a time to build up.

⁴ A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance.

⁵ A time to throw stones, and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, and a time to shun embracing.

⁶ A time to search, and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep, and a time to throw away.

⁷ A time to tear apart, and a time to sew together; A time to be silent, and a time to speak.

⁸ A time to love, and a time to hate; A time for war, and a time for peace.

⁹ What profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils?

¹⁰ I have seen the task which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves.

¹¹ He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.

¹² I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one's lifetime;

¹³ moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor, it is the gift of God.

¹⁴ I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him.

¹⁵ That which is has been already, and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by.

Talk to the Mountain of PROBLEMS!

2010-08-11T10:14:00.000+08:00

~ from the Talk Series, “Me & My Big Mouth” given at the Makati Feast, February 4, 2010.

Talk to the Mountain of Financial Difficulty: “I am rich and getting richer. I am generous and getting more generous. God’s abundance is supplying my every need. Everything I touch prospers and succeeds. New doors will open before me. The right people will walk into my life. God will prosper the work of my hands. As I use my core gifts to serve others, I will be richly rewarded.”

Talk to the Mountain of Family members going Astray: “My Loved ones are growing closer to God. Deep inside each member of my family, the Holy Spirit is busy working, changing, and transforming their heart. Because as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Talk to the Mountain of Confusion in Decision Making: “The steps of the good person are ordered by the Lord. God directs my steps. God helps me to distinguish what is right from wrong. God shows me the path to abundance.”

Talk to the Mountain of Relationship Conflicts: “God is blessing my relationships. Love is increasing. Service for one another is growing. Forgiveness, humility, and understanding flow like a river in my relationships. Old wounds are being healed. Bonds between us are getting stronger and deeper.”

Talk to the Mountain of Sickness: “With long life, He satisfies me and shows me His salvation. I am getting better and better everyday. I am getting stronger and stronger everyday. The power of healing is flowing through my body, mind, and spirit. New health, new joy, new peace, new hope is increasing within me.”

Talk to the Mountain of Addictions: “I may have had addictions in the past, but God is starting a new chapter in my life. I may feel weak now but I declare that God is making me strong. God is setting me free.”

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2010-07-13T11:50:00.007+08:00

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WE MUST BE THANKFUL FOR ...

2010-07-04T18:09:00.004+08:00

By M. Raymond Sheppard

We must be thankful for the offer and willingness to help, not the outcome.
We must be thankful for the challenges, not just the successes,
We must be thankful for the spirited debate, not just the resolution,
We must be thankful for the child that tries to cheer us up when we are down and the child that tries to help another child, not just the child that does his/her chores,
We must be thankful not just for what the Creator has done, but what he/she hasn't done,
We must be thankful for our trails and tribulations, not just our glorious victories,
We must be thankful for the clothes on our back, and not ungrateful for the style they lack.
We must be thankful for the $10 we might have today that we didn't have yesterday, and let go of the fact that we did not get the thousand we wanted,
We must be thankful for the hug our loved one gave to us, although they did not say they loved us,
We must be thankful for the meal we had today, and not dwell on the one we might have dreamed of,
We must be thankful for the job we have now, not just the one we might get or wished we had,
We must be thankful for that friend that is with us and supports us, not just the best friend that isn't there,
We must be thankful for the survivors of natural catastrophes, and be thankful for the memory of those we might have lost,
We must be thankful for all things.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

M. Raymond Sheppard, is an unemployed father of four and a Human and Community Rights Activist residing in Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada. He is a writer, broadcaster, counselor and the father of four. Raymond can be reached at raymondsheppard@eastlink.ca

BIRTHDAY CARDS WITH SECRET CODES

2010-07-02T13:42:00.001+08:00

I looked at the scrawled handwriting on the envelope. I blinked and read it once again before tears began to tumble. My birthday card had been addressed, sent, and signed by Dad.

I'd not thought about, or expected, a card that year. The prior months had been dreadful as we watched Mother's health spiral downward. At Dad's age, the ordeal eventually took a terrible toll on him as well. Especially when he realized Mom's only option was to live out her final days in a nursing home. She would never come home again and soon Dad would be alone for the first time in his life.

Yet, there it was.a birthday card, and the only one I had ever received without Mom's familiar handwriting. I didn't even feel the need to open it, for Dad's efforts told me all I needed to know, and more. I cradled it like a priceless breakable and wept buckets of tears. Some for a card I would always hold dear, others for the sorrowful changes taking place in the lives of those I love.

When I did open the card.the sentiment was lovely and it was obvious much thought had been given to the selection. Although it was signed "Mom and Dad," never had I seen my parent's names written by Dad.another gloomy reminder of what was to come. Mom would not be with us much longer.

Six years later, with Dad rapidly approaching 90 years of age, I smiled when my birthday card came today! It's always several days early and the birthday check inside holds a brainteaser Dad concocted when greeting cards became one of his duties. The "memo" line at the bottom of the check is where his now-infamous secret code is found. Using capital letters he leaves a birthday message. An example: H. O. A. Y. T. Y. When I call to thank him for my card, you can bet your boots I will be quizzed on the answer.

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

A year after Mom's death I was on an extended summer visit at Dad's. I yawned as I plodded to the coffee pot one morning, poured a cup, and sat down next to Dad at the kitchen island. He was addressing a card to an old family friend.

"Dad, how do you keep track of all the birthdays and anniversaries? And, your cards are never late. You do a really good job!"

The look he gave me with those big, blue eyes suggested I might be dumb. "It's simple! On the first of the month I get my calendar and write down all the cards I'll need to send that month. The next time I go shopping, I buy them.then place them in order in the file cabinet drawer."

I grabbed Dad's calendar and yanked open the file drawer. Sure enough, the cards were in perfect order, from the first of the month to the last.

"Wow, you've got quite a system here!" I exclaimed. "Maybe I should set up one just like yours." I teased.

"After Mom died I had to figure out something! I didn't realize how many cards we sent out in a year's time."

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

I've never asked Dad about his secret codes for I know they began as a witty distraction during a sad and emotional time. They've continued because he's a wise man who knows life goes on regardless of our circumstances.and that a new comical twist along life's path can always lighten our load.

(Code = How Old Are You This Year)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathleen, and hubsand, Jerry, reside in Plano, Texas. Pets have always been a passion ans a precious schnauzer named Josey Lane inspired Kathy's first piece of work. As a freelancer, she has contributed to newspapers, anthologies, magazines, online ezines, and writes a weekly column entitled "Heart of Texas." Kathy's website www.txyellowrose.com eMail: lnstrlady@aol.com

The Room Filled

2010-06-30T13:39:00.001+08:00

by Michael Smith

I ran home from school, stomped up the worn wooden steps, slammed open the front door and yelled,

"Mum! Mum, I'm home!"

"Michael, I'm right here!" Mum appeared around the corner. "Stop yelling. What if your father had been sleeping? You know he works nights."

"Sorry, Mum." I mumbled and hung my head in shame. "I didn't mean to yell."

"If you had woken him, you know how mad he would have been."

"I just wanted to show you my spelling test." I handed her my test. "I got a gold star."

"You got another one?" She smiled. "Good for you! You always study so hard, but you have to remember not to yell when you come in the house ."

"I know, Mum, but I was exited and wanted to show you." I lied. Dad drank a lot. If he had too much, he'd argue with Mum. I was afraid she'd leave. My two older brothers and I would be alone with him. What if I came home and she was gone? It was a fear I lived with most of my childhood. I needed to know she was there.

Years later, I moved away for my first job. Each evening, I'd open the door to a lonely, empty room. I didn't callout for Mum. I knew she wasn't there. I spent evenings alone. There were no computers, only books and a television. It was a temporary situation.

Three months later, I was home again. Mum and I sat at the kitchen table, played cards, and talked. It was nice to have someone to share my day with - someone who loved me.

A year later, I sat in my car. The back seat and trunk were full of my belongings. My mattress was tied to my roof. Mum stood beside the car.

"Well, you're off on your own again."

"This is it." I smiled up at her. "I can't believe I have my own house."

"You'll do fine, Michael." Her eyes glistened. Tears threatened to spill down her cheeks.

"Thanks for everything, Mum. Without your support, I wouldn't be going where I'm going today." I pulled away and wiped my own tears from my eyes. I'd miss coming home to her, but there was another woman I'd be coming home to soon.

A few hours later, Georgia and I sat in the living room of my new home. I knelt on one knee and asked her to marry me. For many years, I came home from work to my wife. We had two children - a boy and a girl. Georgia and I shared our days and love. My home - my life - was full. I was happy.

Disaster struck. My manager announced major layoffs. Fifteen years of seniority were not enough to save me. A new job took me to another city. Georgia and our kids stayed behind to sell the house. I opened the door to a rented room. There were no hugs, no children yelling "Daddy", and no one to share my day with. I was alone.

A year later they joined me. I opened a door to love and family again. The pattern continued: a new job, a move, a lonely room, and a family that followed later.

I came home one night to another empty room. My daughter didn't move with us this time. She was on her own. My son was home, but he didn't greet me. He wanted to be alone to deal with his feelings. Georgia died the week before.

I faced an empty room. I never understood what empty was. There were many empty rooms I cried in, but not one compared to the room Georgia never filled again.

A year later, I opened the door, and there was Ginny. Her arms reached out and pulled me close. Her lips met mine. Her loved soothed me. Ginny and I have been apart for a month or more a few times. She's had to help her children in other states. I'd enter an empty room when I came home from work and hear my footsteps echo off the walls - the sound of alone. I was sad she wasn't there, but I knew she'd be back.

Ginny knows an empty room. Her husband, Harvey, passed on and left her in one too. We keep those rooms behind closed doors. They remain empty. Like a photo album, we only go there when we want to remember the past.

Ginny and I live in the present room - the room filled.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael Smith lives in Idaho with his beautiful wife Ginny. Michael writes inspirational stories in his spare time and works full time in the telecommunications industry. To sign up for Michael's stories go to: http://visitor.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?m=1101828445578&p=oi

To read more of Michael's stories, go to http://ourecho.com/biography-353-Michael-Timothy-Smith.shtml#stories

2010-06-28T13:01:00.002+08:00

YOU ARE AMAZING! (And I Can Prove It)

By Michael Murphy http://www.positiveattitudes.com

Has anyone told you lately that you are truly amazing? Probably not unless you are one of the very blessed few who have at least one powerful encourager in your life that truly does care about you.

I was 6 feet tall when I was in the 7th grade. I weighed all of 140 lbs. Skinny doesn't begin to describe it. Toothpick would come a little closer. With the unruly and wiry hair that I tried to grow long and fight to keep straight, most of my friends called me 'Q-tip.' You can imagine how that did wonders for my self esteem. Yeah, not much.

I was reminded by my father that I wasn't planned when I was born. I guess not. Three kids in LESS THAN three years. My brother was 2 years old, about to turn 3. My sister was 1 year old, 9 days before she turned 2.

My father suffered most of his life with what we now know as bi-polar disorder. Major moods swings and a plethora of attitudes that did not serve in my best interest (or anyone else's for that matter.) He constantly reminded me that I was an "accident" and with the constant psychological abuse that he put on me, I felt more like an intruder on this planet than a little boy.

As I got older and begin to discover personal development and what it could do for me to heal my past and create my future, I begin to develop new beliefs about myself. What I discovered changed my life. I discovered that the facts proved that I was not an "accident", but indeed, my life was/is a miracle.

I discovered through reading personal development books that the chances that I was ever conceived to begin with were tens of millions to one. In fact, I learned that I had beaten out somewhere between 10 and 90 million other 'seeds' that were all vying to fertilize one egg. Tens of millions of potential suitors and only one was going to get a date. In fact, the others were going to die. It wasn't just a race and competition for affection. It was a battle for life.

Stop and think about this. If any other seed had fertilized that one egg, neither you nor I would be here right now. Ever wonder why you've always felt ''special''? Maybe you felt ''lucky''? Well, you gained access into the inner sanctum to fertilize the egg and millions others died off who didn't make it.

I don't know about you, but that fact alone makes me feel pretty amazing! Now I'm not asking to you believe in some kind of esoteric, metaphysical or spiritual concept. I'm sharing this as an established fact. Go check out these stats with a medical doctor. Now, if those odds haven't made you feel as amazing as they make me feel, then think about this.

Go back 5 generations in your family. That would be to a great-great-great grandparent. Having extensive genealogy records for my family, I know who my great-great-great grandfather was and where he was born.

He was born in 1795 in Kentucky. Just 18 years after our country declared its independence. He met his wife by some set of circumstances, which I'm not aware of. Nonetheless, just imagine your own experience, or perhaps that of your parents (or grandparents) and know that the odds weren't good that he and this particular woman got together.

Now add to the equation that the odds that they ever conceived and had the particular child that they had, were also in the 1 in several millions odds. Now, THAT child grew up and met someone else and the process goes on and on.

My point? Imagine the odds that you ever arrived here on this planet. Trillions to one. Your life is amazing. You may not feel like it. You may feel the lowest emotions that a human can feel. Nonetheless, the FACT remains that YOU ARE A MIRACLE!!!

Perhaps in another article, I'll get into to the amazing biological, skeletal/muscular make up of your body (which is itself a miracle.) For right now, just allow yourself to consider and deeply think about, how YOU got HERE.

You, my dear friend, are no accident. You are amazing! You were a miracle the day you began your existence on this planet. And, you still are. Most people are never taught to love themselves.

Most people are never taught to really understand how awesome they really are. Through a lot of emotional and psychological damage that we get from very ill informed sources in this world, we never face the REALITY of who and what we really are.

I'm here, telling you, YOU ARE AMAZING! I know it. You have talents, skills, intelligence and heart to do miracles in your own life. You have potential that you haven't even begun to tap into its power.

You've likely either forgotten or, you never knew how the facts that supports you as being a phenomenal being. Take some time today and think about what I've shared with you here. Think about the dreams, hopes, desires and incredible vision inside of your mind. I'm not asking you to ''believe'' anything.

I'm just giving you the FACTS. You are amazing! You can do, be and have more than you've ever dreamed possible. Let yourself awakened to the TRUTH about you. Get your dreams off of the shelf and dust them off. Let them live again in your heart, soul and mind.

Keep believing that you can and will accomplish them. Then, expect them and watch your awesome life unfold.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael Murphy is an author, speaker and coach. His mission in this world is to encourage others to live their dreams and live their potential. His books, "Powerful Attitudes" and "Powerfirmations" have been acclaimed, praised and promoted by best selling authors and personal development superstars. You can go visit his website at http://www.positiveattitudes.com and see YOUR NAME in his book for free.

A JOYFUL LIFE

2010-06-26T13:00:00.000+08:00

by Miles Patrick Yohnke

I've never seen a u-haul behind a hearse. The only thing you take with you when you're gone is what you leave behind. We are slapped when we come into this world and they shovel dirt on us in the end. This is our life. Everyone's life. These are the bookends of life. But what really matters is what goes on in the middle. That we are passionate people. That we are caring people. That we LIVE!

The people I've been privileged to watch succeed have intensity about them. They demand everything from themselves. They show up everyday, in fact every moment, and they are accountable to themselves. Everything they do has a hard statement, and they know when to stop. Very impressive.

Real beauty is found in oneself. That's the tranquil beach. The beautiful sunset. It's not a location, the location is you. To travel is to travel inward. That's the ultimate vacation.

Turn your weaknesses into your strengths. Success is failure turned inside out. We need to find a deeper meaning in life. Our duty, as artists, is to tap into those notes that resonate in us all. Not to sleep walk through life, like an outpatient program; but to strike a chord.

We can't catch kindness in a net or a gun. When kindness is given to you, it's by choice. One must adopt an attitude of gratitude.

We can become prisoners of self. One must dig tunnels; escape one's own mind. We get just this one life. We have to stop doing time. But live lives like we planned in our youth. No matter where we are, how old, we can always reach our dreams.

All your life you're going to be judged, what matters is keeping your soul intact and making work that matters. We have to stop telling people what we are going to do, what we have not yet accomplished, and tell them instead what we have accomplished. Only in this way can we be accountable for our actions. I am not accountable for achievements I have not yet reached, but I am what I have accomplished.

It's when we stop forcing it ... trying to impress, that we really shine through; we start having strong people like us, just fall into our laps - and those that are weak are empowered by the tone of our voice. Get off your knees and do. Words without action is death. One has to stop sitting in the back, waiting. Come to the front. The front row of life. A joyful life.

My mother told me at a very young age, "Miles, we are placed on this planet to help others. Go out and help others." So, it is by her words that I try to shape and reshape my life. Yes, each day we will be challenged by indifferent people and for the most part it isn't their fault. We are just so conditioned by life (media, society) to live like caveman or barbarians (non-contemplating spoon-fed society). To live like the subjects in mindless beer commercials. Their ideals perhaps "you deserve better, more than another, you are the most important."

After a while we believe it. Brainwashed. Let's have "fun." Fun? Fun is a limiting word. Why would one limit their existence to only this? Is that all we appreciate for the life we've been given?

Life is a 24/7 celebration of the word itself (existence). So maybe one needs to replace the word "fun" (a word created by media to keep you down, to bait you, to sell you things, tell you what you need) to the word "joyful."

Maybe we could be way happier if we lived a life that from each waking day till sleep time is joyful. You get but one life. We are each only given one shot at getting it right in the long run. Find a job you love and you'll start to bring joy to yourself and all others in your life.

Words are either negative or positive. Could it be that all this time "fun" is really a negative word and "joy" a positive one? Perhaps a little rethinking is in order.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Widely recognized and award-nominated engineer, producer, writer, poet and founder and C.E.O. of 5 Star Productions, Miles Patrick Yohnke brings many years of experience to the music industry; including many awards in sales and marketing. Miles can be reached directly at miles@5-starproductions.com

The Daffodil Principle

2010-06-24T12:59:00.000+08:00

~Anonymous~

Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, "Mother, you must come to see the daffodils before they are over." I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead "I will come next Tuesday", I promised a little reluctantly on her third call.

Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and reluctantly I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn's house I was welcomed by the joyful sounds of happy children. I delightedly hugged and greeted my grandchildren.

"Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in these clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want to see badly enough to drive another inch!"

My daughter smiled calmly and said, "We drive in this all the time, Mother." "Well, you won't get me back on the road until it clears, and then I'm heading for home!" I assured her.

"But first we're going to see the daffodils. It's just a few blocks," Carolyn said. "I'll drive. I'm used to this."

"Carolyn," I said sternly, "please turn around." "It's all right, Mother, I promise. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience."

After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand lettered sign with an arrow that read, "Daffodil Garden." We got out of the car, each took a child's hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, as we turned a corner, I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorious sight.

It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it over the mountain peak and its surrounding slopes. The flowers were planted in majestic, swirling patterns, great ribbons and swaths of deep orange, creamy white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, and saffron and butter yellow. Each different-colored variety was planted in large groups so that it swirled and flowed like its own river with its own unique hue. There were five acres of flowers.

"Who did this?" I asked Carolyn. "Just one woman," Carolyn answered. "She lives on the property. That's her home." Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house, small and modestly sitting in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house.

On the patio, we saw a poster. "Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking", was the headline. The first answer was a simple one. "50,000 bulbs," it read. The second answer was, "One at a time, by one woman. Two hands, two feet, and one brain." The third answer was, "Began in 1958."

For me, that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than forty years before, had begun, one bulb at a time, to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountaintop. Planting one bulb at a time, year after year, this unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived. One day at a time, she had created something of extraordinary magnificence, beauty, and inspiration. The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of celebration.

That is, learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time--often just one baby-step at time--and learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time. When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can accomplish magnificent things. We can change the world ...

"It makes me sad in a way," I admitted to Carolyn. "What might I have accomplished if I had thought of a wonderful goal thirty-five or forty years ago and had worked away at it 'one bulb at a time' through all those years? Just think what I might have been able to achieve!"

My daughter summed up the message of the day in her usual direct way. "Start tomorrow," she said.

She was right. It's so pointless to think of the lost hours of yesterdays. The way to make learning a lesson of celebration instead of a cause for regret is to only ask, "How can I put this to use today?"

Use the Daffodil Principle. Stop waiting.....

Until your car or home is paid off
Until you get a new car or home
Until your kids leave the house
Until you go back to school
Until you finish school
Until you clean the house
Until you organize the garage
Until you clean off your desk

Until you lose 10 lbs.
Until you gain 10 lbs.
Until you get married
Until you get a divorce
Until you have kids
Until the kids go to school
Until you retire
Until summer
Until spring
Until winter
Until fall
Until you die...

There is no better time than right now to be happy.

Happiness is a journey, not a destination.
So work like you don't need money.
Love like you've never been hurt, and, Dance like no one's watching.

If you want to brighten someone's day, pass this on to someone special.

I just did!

Wishing you a beautiful, daffodil day!

Don't be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin.

Spring Forever In My Heart

2010-06-22T12:57:00.000+08:00

By Bob Perks

"I can't believe it. These blooms have lasted so long this year," my wife said.

"I hadn't really thought about it, but you are right. As much as I love Lilacs, they come and go so fast," I said.

It has been incredibly exciting this year here in my back-yard. Our Lilac tree has produced the most blooms I have ever seen. The scent is so wonderful that I spend a lot of time just standing on our small deck breathing it all in.

Many of the branches are hollow and cracked leaving me to believe it has seen many Springs. A few winters ago one of the biggest branches crashed to the ground under the weight of melting snow. It broke my heart. I guess I wasn't expecting much from the old thing this year. But it is magnificent!

Since we have been experiencing so much rain lately the flowers have become heavier. The once tall bush seems to be under a lot of pressure. I can relate to that. There are big gaps because the branches are lower.

Sadly, today I noticed the first bunch of flowers turning brown. It won't be long until they are all gone. But here's what I've learned from it.

Some people are like fragrant flowers. They come into our lives ever so briefly and leave behind a scent that remains embedded in our being. They brighten your day by just having had contact with them even if for a moment. If kindness would have scent it would remind you of them.

Like when I smell pine, all the best Christmas memories rush through my mind. When I smell roses I think of romantic, moon filled evenings.

Some people, having given so much to you, remain a part of who you are forever. You cannot possibly go through a day without thinking about them. Their beautiful spirit gently nudges your heart each time you hear their name. The very thought of them stirs within your soul like the sweet fragrance of a thousand roses.

Loved ones who have passed on, having given their lives to you, having stayed in bloom through a life time of eternal Spring, are like these Lilacs. Although my heart is saddened having discovered that they are dying, I will not remember them that way. I will forever see a thousand blooms each time I think of them. In the coldest, darkest days of the winter of my life, the memory of them will get me through it all. Even the slightest fragrance, a wisp of "almost there again," will bring a smile to my face and my heart will pound remembering the love.

Oh God, thank you not only for the beauty of the people you bring into my life, but for the lingering fragrance and everlasting memories of ever having loved them at all.

Loving them and believing in you, means I will have "spring forever in my heart."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bob's signature story, "I Wish You Enough,"has been released by Thomas Nelson Publishers and features a collection of his stories based on theeight wishes expressed in the original story. His inspiring true stories are based on the people he meets in his travels. Bob's unique perspective on life makes him "the philosopher of everyday moments."

For more information visit his website at: http://www.IWishYouEnough.com or email Bob your comments to perksblog@hotmail.com

Affirmation

2010-06-21T17:06:00.002+08:00

by John Assaraf http://www.johnassaraf.com/

Success Manifestors

I am a genius and I use my wisdom daily.

Each day, in every way, I am better and better.

I am inquisitive, creative, fun loving and adventurous.

I have the extraordinary ability to accomplish everything I choose and want.

I am committed, determined and passionate about what I do.

I am very focused and persistent.

I have tremendous energy and focus for achieving all my life’s goals.

My life is now a masterpiece.

I meditate daily and stay in constant synch in the vibration of abundance and success.

I visualize all that I desire that I have complete control in my life.

I feel very happy and at peace with myself now.

I have an abundance of physical and mental energy, and I feel and look great.

I am the healthiest I’ve ever been.

I am now perfectly healthy, both physically and mentally.

My health, strength and energy are in optimal levels.

I look and feel the best I’ve ever felt.

I persistently achieve all of my business goals.

I am a smart and sabby business person.

I am unique and talented to achieve all of my business goals.

People love doing business with me.

I always provide an abundance of value to my clients and customers.

I now do only the highest income and impact producing activities to grow my business.

I easily delegate all low-income tasks to others.

I now release any overwhelm I feel.

I live each day with passion and purpose.

I am a success in all that I do.

I respect my abilities and I always perform my potential.

I always have more than enough money in all that I need.

Money consistently flows to me from numerous sources.

My life is now filled with prosperity and abundance.

I easily achieve all my goals and dreams.

I am totally confident and certain in all my decisions.

I am an excellent business person.

I am wealthy and successful in all that I do.

I use my wealth and prosperity very wisely.

I now have all the tools and the resources necessary to fulfill any and all of my life’s goals and dreams.

I am a powerful and resourceful creator.

I have absolute certainty in my ability to generate any amount of income I choose.

I now have all the resources I need to become a multi-millionaire.

I have great abundance flow into my life which affords me every luxury that I desire.

I am a powerful resourceful creator attracting all the wealth and opportunities I want for me to meet my financial success now.

I have all the business skills, intelligence, and contacts I need right now to create an absolute masterpiece with my life.

I deserve to earn money easily and in abundance.

I deserve happiness and prosperity.

I accomplish all my financial goals with ease.

I have complete freedom over my time.

Changing Lives

2010-06-20T12:56:00.001+08:00

By Duane Spears

Some years ago I attended a self-improvement seminar and the speaker was Jim Rohn. He said, "Everything matters in life, some things a little and some things a lot, we just don't know which is which." And I believed him.

Now if I may, I would like to relate a personal experience which occurred when I was a motorcycle officer that strengthened this belief and taught a young man that everything in life does indeed matter.

I was a motorcycle officer with the Los Angeles Police Department and I was working speed complaints out of West Traffic Division. On the 6th of January, 1986, I was working a speed complaint on one of the streets in the hills of Bel Air. It was around 9:30 in the morning. I was stopped at the base of a hill and had set up my radar on the handlebar of my motorcycle and was watching the traffic coming down the hill.

This was a residential area and the road was narrow with numerous curves and was posted at 25 miles per hour. I had just finished writing a couple of tickets when I heard the audio on the radar, looked up the road and saw a small sports car coming down the hill. I glanced at the digital readout on the radar unit and saw that the car was traveling close to 50 miles per hour. I stepped out into the street and waved the driver over to the curb.

The driver was a young man in his early 20's on his way to UCLA for a morning class. I told him why I had stopped him and started to write him a ticket. He, of course, didn't want the ticket and tried to talk me out of it. His name was Christopher and he was a good kid. But he was trying his best to get me to not write him a ticket. Never rude, always polite, but determined to convince me to let him go.

We bantered back and forth, he would raise his voice in support of his position, but I calmly explained why he should get the ticket. When he saw I was still going to write him the ticket, he asked me, "What If I had not stopped, you were not on your motorcycle, would you have chased me?" I replied, "Most likely not".

About this time, I heard the audio on the radar and noticed that the digital readout registered 52 miles per hour. I looked up and saw a young man coming down the hill on a motorcycle. I stepped out in front of him and waved him into the curb. He was going too fast and passed us, but he was slowing down. I walked towards the motorcycle rider and my back was to Christopher.

The motorcyclist had turned around and was coming back to me. The he suddenly made a quick U-turn and sped down the hill. I turned around and walked back to Christopher and said, "Well, one got away."

He said, "I waved him on".

I said, "What?"

He said, "I waved him on."

I replied, "Oh, no! You should not have done that."

He had a puzzled look on his face and asked, "Why not, it won't matter?"

I told him everything in life matters, some things a little and some things a lot. We just don't know which is which. The look on Christopher's face clearly indicated to me that he did not believe me. I finished the ticket and we talked a little more about life and philosophy, then Christopher went to class and I went to court.

Three days later, I was back working that same area and had three cars stopped. While I was writing the tickets, I noticed that a car coming up the hill had stopped across from me. There were three or four guys in the car. It was obvious to me that they were waiting to talk to me.

I finished the last ticket and the driver of the car got out and walked over to me. He had a very sad look about him. I could tell something was bothering him. As he approached me, he asked, "Do you remember me?"

"Yes," I replied, "you are Christopher."

He then said, "You taught me a valuable lesson the other day when you told me that everything in life matters. I didn't believe you then, but now I do."

"How do you mean?" I asked.

"Do you remember the boy on the motorcycle?" he asked.

"Yes," I replied, "I do remember him."

"Well," he said, "he was my roommate and that is why I waved him on. I thought I was helping him. After he turned around he made a wrong turn and went down a street, which ended in a cul-de-sac and hit a large planter in the center of the cul-de-sac. He died instantly. You were right when you said everything in life matters."

I was shocked and found it hard to believe, even though I had been with LAPD for 18 ½ years. We talked for a few more minutes. I expressed my sorrow, we shook hands and then we both left.

I rode to the station in Venice and looked up the traffic reports for the 6th of January and sure enough there it was. I still could not believe it. I mentioned what had happened to another officer whose was in the station at the time. His response was that the kid deserved to die for fleeing the scene; I thought this cannot be happening; I don't want to be like him.

As police officers and especially motor officers we are suppose to be saving lives, not pleased because some kid made a bad decision and died. Over the next several days I gave a lot of thought to this situation and my life in general. I decided I didn't want to be a police officer anymore and I needed a change. So I resigned in February 1986 after 18 ½ years with LAPD to pursue my passion, network marketing.

I thought that I should listen to my own advice about how everything matters and look at this situation as an opportunity to make some serious changes in my life. I've never regretted leaving LAPD even though my business plans didn't quite work the way I had hoped back in 1986. But over the years they have and I have had a successful network marketing business since 1995.

Could now be the time for you to make a life change? If it is, I would encourage you to do so. Based on my experience you will not be sorry. I will be 68 in September 2010, I'm in great health and could not be happier.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Duane Spears was born and raised in Osawatomie, Kansas. He graduated from high school in 1961 and joined the US Army. After 3 years with the Army, he went to Los Angeles in 1966 and joined the Los Angeles Police Department. Duane quit LAPD after 18½ years o work a network marketing business. That company went bankrupt after 6 months. Duane then learned the mortgage business opened his own office on Hollywood Beach in Oxnard, CA in 1989. Later in 1995 he joined another network marketing company, left the mortgage business and has been with them for the past 13 years. In 2000, Duane moved back to Osawatomie to be near his son. You can reach Duane at duane@duanespears.com