t2mc

Merry Christmas to all!

2009-12-23T17:00:00.000-08:00

The most precious thing that ever hung on a tree was Jesus Christ. God came to earth as a baby to fulfill the long awaited promise of a Savior.

Thirty-three years after His birth, Jesus willingly laid down His life for us. The most powerful message that has ever been or ever will be shared this Christmas is Jesus Christ.

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. - I John 3:16 NIV

Merry Christmas!

From me and my family: Ruth, Sam and Noli, Emil, Shalom, Lemuel, Raiza, Nathan, Nikki

Are Your Wedding Memories The Last Priority In Your Budget?

2009-04-25T19:34:00.000-07:00

So this is your first time to hire a creative documentation professional. And you think hiring the services of these people is as simple as singing Do Re Mi. And what’s more, you place this item almost at the last in your list of budget expenses for your important date. You take into consideration first and foremost the elegance of the venue, the luxury of the food and entertainment and of course the number of guests you would like to share with that most memorable day of your life.

Each one has different wishes and dreams – a most gorgeous wedding dress, a lavish feast for the guests, luxurious reception venue – so they will put priority on those.
Although, these are important for the day’s celebration to make the affair a truly enjoyable one for everyone, especially for the bride and groom, these are going to be gone the day after. But the extravagance on these trappings can be avoided by careful planning; focusing on themes and creative elegance, rather than opulence.

However, in the end it is not the food and cake that was already eaten, the flowers that have withered nor the dress now in the storage that is the measurement of your special day but the memories that was created and must be preserved for all times. What stays forever are the photographs which hold each memorable moments of the wedding day. Truly lasting mementoes that are worth sharing with friends and even passing on to the next generations.

You and your wedding photographer have one objective in mind: amazing photographs that is able to capture each fleeting moment and joyful mood of the wedding day. This is where you have to build a special relationship with the photographer. How the two of you were able to build a relationship on your initial meeting will have a great impact on the mood of each photograph. Aside from discussing the business aspect, it is imperative that you discuss more the creative aspect – a general idea of how you would want the event to be documented. Photographers should be more than willing to discuss with you how their creative process works.

They have different styles and patterns on how they do the task they have been contracted to do. So it is important that you take a look at a complete portfolio of the projects they have done, not just those that were assembled into an album. Remember, that these set of pictures do not truly represent a complete work of the wedding photographer on a given project– how he or she had captured the moments as they unfold. And it is possible that these pictures have been heavily processed just to enhance the images.

Give more weight to the images that will resonate deeply in your heart for years to come - images of emotions that will bring back those special memories of the event as they have unfolded. Try to peruse the style of the photographer how each images were captured and determine if you will be comfortable with that shooting style.

Another way of assessing a photographer is through how they organize their workflow. Each has different sets of procedures after the shooting day. This is what you call the post production process where each images are inspected and retouched if necessary. Remember that it is in this phase of the project where the output or finished product is to be delivered to you, first in digital format and then possibly assembled in an album.

Among all the people who will be working with you to make your most special day a truly memorable one, the longest you will be working with is your wedding photographer. Long after your venue coordinator, your florist, your dressmaker and your make-up artist have gone; your creative documenter will still be working with you until all the photographs have been organized, selected and assembled into a book. It is your wedding photographer who will make sure that you will have a long lasting memento of that special day in your life.

No Regrets

2009-03-05T13:32:00.000-08:00

At the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris, the sport of canoe racing was added to the list of international competitions. The favorite team in the four-man canoe race was the United States team. One member of that team was a young man by the name of Bill Havens. As the time for the Olympics neared, it became clear that Bill’s wife would give birth to their first child about the time that the US team would be competing in the Paris games. And so Bill found himself in a dilemma.

Should he go to Paris and risk not being at his wife’s side when their baby was born? Or should he withdraw from the team and remain with his family?

Bill’s wife insisted that he go to Paris. After all, competing in the Olympics was the culmination of a life-long dream. But Bill felt conflicted and, after much soul-searching, decided to withdraw from the competition and remain home where he could support his wife when the child arrived. As it turned out, the United States four-man canoe team won the gold medal in Paris. And Bill’s wife was late in giving birth to their child. The birth was so late, in fact, that Bill could have competed in the event and returned home in time to be with her when she delivered.

People said, “What a shame.” But Bill said he had no regrets. For the rest of his life, he believed he had made the better decision. Bill Havens knew what was most important to him. There is an interesting sequel to the story.

The child eventually born to Bill and his wife was a boy, whom they named Frank. Twenty-eight years later, in 1952, Bill received a cablegram from Frank. It was sent from Helsinki, Finland, where the 1952 Olympics were being held. The cablegram read: “Dad, I won. I’m bringing home the gold medal you lost while waiting for me to be born.”

Frank Havens had just won the gold medal for the United States in the canoe-racing event, a medal his father had dreamed of winning but never did.

Once a champion always a champion if not now then through the next generation.

This beautiful story by Steve Goodier in his E-newsletter entitled “The Life Support System” reminds us of what is most important in life.

I have a great relationship with my son.

Two years ago, the two of us co-wrote a book on “Paren-teen” and we had fun doing it. The book is entitled: “Why Don’t You Grow Up… Dad!”
I’m proud of him and I see the maturity he shows as the years go by.

He’s into a lot of things now. Totally business minded he enjoys working for a very successful company doing marketing stuffs and meanwhile pursues his passion for music as he plays the drums for a fast rising popular band. He’s into sports too. He does Brazilian Jujitsu, Capuera and boxing and the day he went into martial arts was the day I have decided to be kinder to him.

He tells me he wants to have his own family by the time he hits 30 so that’s a good many years away but that is the precise reason why I am so careful with the way I live. I have to be an example to him because I want him to have a successful family too.

He sees me as a businessman and he likes to be one too and that’s good.

He sees me taking good care of my health and he does the same thing and that’s good too.

But the one thing I want to see in him is that he will have a God-centered family one day and this is why I need to make sure that mine is today.

My son and I know that real men are not those you see fooling around with other women; real men are those who are big enough and brave enough to stay true to their roles as a faithful husband to his wife and a diligent father to his kids.

HERE ARE THE TEN TOP THINGS THAT MAKE A REAL MAN:

10. Comes home directly from work knowing his “real” job is about to start.

9. Is not afraid to get down on hands and knees and play “horsie”.

8. Kisses his children and shows them a man can be gentle.

7. Kisses his wife in front of his children so the children can be secure in the knowledge of a united home.

6. Hugs his family and says “I love you.”

5. Is not afraid to cry.

4. Goes with his family to church.

3. Values the advice of his wife.

2. Starts each day with a “quiet time”, talking to the Lord.

And the number one thing:
1. Willing to give his own life for his family.

The question now is how are you doing in this list?

Take advantage of the Lenten season to be with your family. You have to plan and schedule time with your family well just as you do with business commitments. Let the words of businessman Lee Iacocca be a reminder for all of us for this is what he says: “No matter what you’ve done for yourself or for humanity, if you can’t look back on having given love and attention to your own family, what have you really accomplished?”

This inspirational article is written by Francis Kong

The Community of Faith

2008-09-29T20:03:00.000-07:00

From Reaching Out
by Fr. Henri Nouwen

Just because prayer is so personal and arises from the center of our life, it is to be shared with others. Just because prayer is the most precious expression of being human, it needs the constant support and protection of the community to grow and flower. Just because prayer is our highest vocation needing careful attention and faithful perseverance, we cannot allow it to be a private affair. Just because prayer asks for a patient waiting in expectation, it should never become the most individualistic expression of the most individualistic emotion, but should always remain embedded in the life of the community of which we are a part.

Prayer as a hopeful and joyful waiting for God is a really unhuman or superhuman task unless we realize that we do not have to wait alone. In the community of faith we can find the climate and the support to sustain and deepen our prayer, and we are enabled to constantly look forward beyond our immediate and often narrowing needs. The community of faith offers the protective boundaries within which we can listen to our deepest longings, not to indulge in morbid introspection, but to find our God to whom they point. In the community of faith we can listen to our feelings of loneliness, to our desires for an embrace for a kiss, to our sexual urges, to our cravings for sympathy, compassion, or just a good word; also to our search for insight and to our hope of companionship and friendship. In the community of faith we can listen to all these longings and find the courage, not to avoid them or cover them up, but to confront them in order to discern God’s presence in their midst. There we can affirm each other in our waiting and also in the realization that in the center of our waiting the first intimacy with God is found. There we can be patiently together and let the suffering of each day convert our illusions into the prayer of a contrite people. The community of faith is indeed the climate and source of all prayer (Couples for Christ is indeed one such community of faith. In CFC we have a household group wherein we can share together our deepest longings and desires we usually could not in a bigger assembly).

Prayer as a Language of Community

Prayer is first of all the realization of God's presence in the midst of God's people and therefore, the realization of the community itself.

Prayer as the language of the community is like our original tongue. Just as children learn to speak from their parents, brothers, sisters, and friends but still develop their own unique ways of expressing themselves, so also our individual prayer life develops by the care of the praying community which we can call "our community".

Our community is often a very intangible reality made up of people, living as well as dead, present as well as absent, close as well as distant, old as well as young. But without some form of community individual prayer cannot be born or developed. Communal and individual prayer belong together as two [hands joined together as in praying]. Without community, individual prayer easily degenerates into egocentric and eccentric behavior. Without individual prayer, the prayer of the community quickly becomes a meaningless routine. Individual and community prayer cannot be separated [from each other].

Wedding Assignments

2007-11-21T22:57:00.000-08:00

Wedding Vow

Why not make your wedding ceremony much more different with your composition of your own wedding vows. Aside from the traditional vows read (and maybe not wholeheartedly felt?) try this vows that really comes from the heart.

Wedding Album Layouts

The Bride

In every wedding, the bride is the center of attention and of course attraction. She must be the most beautiful person in the entire ceremony. Every details of her starting with her wedding dress, her make over, her shoes, everything in fact is centered on her. This is the most important date of her life. A new chapter... a new beginning.

The Wedding Dress

This is a photo of the bride for her renewal of vows with her husband during their silver wedding anniversary. The details of the wedding dress was better viewed and appreciated when it is worn by the bride. Every details has sprang up to life even the creases and folds.

The back of the dress was taken while the it was being laced on. Since all lace ends up being tied it is better to take the picture this way to add more drama to the picture while showing the full details.

Here the dress is very simple with not much beadwork. In order to make it appealing to the eye, the photo was processed to expose its highlights. It showed that a dress even with simple details can really make the bride the center of attraction.

Wedding Assignments

2007-11-15T23:49:00.000-08:00

I delved into photography since I was student in college. My interest in this field stemmed from my desire to capture memorable moments in any one's life that has touched me.

My professional experience in this field came much later when I became an official photographer of Couples for Christ. CFC publishes a bi-monthly magazine called Ugnayan which has a circulation of about 50,000 copies distributed worldwide.

In the year 2006, I tried my hands into wedding photography. It was a different kind of experience. On this field I learned how to be one with the couple in cherishing every details, every moments of their very special day. I feel I have to be more creative in capturing every moments and every details on this very important day for the couple. To give every photograph a life of its own to be cherished forever.

I researched on the new trends of photographing weddings. And I was surprised that it has already evolved into something more interesting unlike the ones taken 20 to 30 years ago. At that time, most wedding pictures are more of the portraiture genre. The subjects are posed and then the pictures are taken. Since I spent most of my photographic experience with a magazine and covering events, my interest leaned towards the photojournalism type.

In this type of photography, a photographer has to capture the drama and the candidness of the moment. I prefer to freeze these moments of time as this will bring more memories to cherish.

There are a number of photographers now which are creative. This could have been brought about by the emergence of digital photography. Before, with film, most photographers rely on the processing labs to get the result they wanted. With digital photography, photographers have more gained more control on their intended result. Through the use of computers and certain photo processing softwares, one can unleash his or her creative talents and produce great photographic works.

The photo of the bride's shoes was taken with the objective of showing the details but with a touch of drama. I placed the bride's shoes on the floor beside the bed's side table and near a half opened window where a little sunlight was poring in. The result was very satisfactory as you can see in this photo.

I've learned that the couple who is celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary I'm photographing were religiously inclined and are devout Catholics. So I put a little of religious inclination when I took pictures of them. Here I set the rings over a Bible to signify the importance of the Lord in their lives. I've learned from this experience that a photographer has to build rapport or a closer relationship with his subject to better understand how the event can be composed in its entirety.

The girl in this picture was from the start a bit curious of the shoot. She would be watching us every time and she is a member of the bride's entourage as a flower girl. Curious but shy as every time I will focus the camera on her she would run. I was able to capture this moment when I tried focusing my camera somewhere near her but not directly to her. The suddenly I directed my camera on her and clicked on. The result was so natural and candid.

A very touching moment between the bride and her father while her mother looks on. This is a real moment to be cherished by both.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

2007-08-10T00:11:00.000-07:00

The line has been drawn.

The inevitable that is bound to happen finally happened and was officially announced last August 1st.

A splinter group of CFC members who have been airing their gripes, founded or unfounded, finally declared their independence from the parent community. Our own community. The community which all of us nurtured to what it is today.

Shall we cry? Shall we mourn why this has to happen to our beloved community?

No I will not cry or mourn, because I have expected this ever since this great divide came up more than three months ago and as every scene of actions and reactions unfolds before me. No I wouldn’t cry or shed any tears that these people whom we regard so highly would cause this break away. Most have already bared their souls to us.

The battle for our hearts and minds has started. Not a few may have already decided which side they will go with, some would say they are still discerning and most will just follow the path where their leaders and friends will tread.

The time has come for us to make a definite stand and to speak if necessary. If you do speak out, it must be sincere and devoid of any sentiments. It is best to keep focused on the lessons and the messages we might learn from this conflict of our leaders. Keep away any thoughts for and against personalities as this will only tend to cause more divisiveness, more confusions. The time has come to analyze the cause and the effects. The discernment process has begun.

What could have caused this conflict among our leaders? Let’s now look on the issues but I will not touch on the personal attacks and allegations during the cyberwar of sensibilities which are mere distractions.

The allegations about GK veering from the spiritual to the social are just an opening salvo in the great conflict. The GK3 paper raised issues that brought awareness to some of the dangers that could affect our very life and mission. They may be valid and founded, but I firmly believe they could have been resolved within the boardroom. Policies and guidelines could have been issued to assuage any fears. They could be serious. They could be urgent. But these are not serious enough or too urgent that these issues alone could be the cause of the crisis that will divide our community.

Is it the personalities involved, the two main protagonists? No, both have resigned bringing with them another one who took it to himself the responsibility for not being able to resolve the conflict between the two.

So what is it then that could have caused the division? Based on the subsequent events that transpired since January or earlier, even before the resignations ever took place, it is evident that the dirty hands of politics are already at play.

There are two groups espousing different causes. GK and Pro-Life. Work with the poor or culture of life. There was talk of relegating or at worse discarding GK777 and transferring scarce resources (human and financial) to shift the focus to Pro-Life. This was admitted during the first so-called Restoration Prayer Meeting held at the Christ the King Parish Hall last July 13. On the surface there is nothing wrong, both causes deserve our attention. It is true that in both the third world and in the first world the culture of life must be advocated. But I don’t think this issue would be too serious or too urgent to cause the great divide.

Is it our own CFC life and CFC culture? Are there changes in the way we conduct our household meetings? Are our household heads now devoid of any wisdom and anointing? Are our teachings deviating from what we have been accustomed to? No. Everything is still the same CFC as I have known it to be. The same CFC that has helped me nurtures my family to what it is today. The same CFC that taught me how to relate with brothers and sisters.

So, what are they really griping for? I can only feel that there is something more serious other than these two differing causes. It is none other than power. The right for our obedience, our active obedience. The power to sway our obedience according to their whims and caprices.

The real question is, aren’t each one entitled to choose one’s own calling? Aren’t each one entitled to finish the work they have already started, that of caring for the needs of our poor brothers and sisters? We just can not suddenly withdraw or surrender in the midst of hardships the mission we have embarked on. We have to show to the world that we possess the faith to finish the work lest it is not us that will be gravely affected, but that glimmer of hope we helped built in the hearts of the poor.

I now ask everyone that in our discernment process, whose pride is it do we need to satisfy?
But one thing is certain; our definite stand must not allow our community, our mission, our vision, our work with the poor to be prejudiced.

St. Augustine made it very clear in his homage to the martyr and great worker for the poor, St. Lawrence, “nothing is truer, my brothers. The Christians’ great wealth is to be found in the needs of the poor, if we really understand how to make what we possess bear fruit. The poor are always with us. If we entrust our treasures to them, we will not lose them.”

Sense And Sensibilities

2007-07-26T20:21:00.001-07:00

All has been quiet these past two days. Is this a reason to rejoice or to be anxious still? Whether this is good or bad omen is still something to be seen. Or is it the lull before the storm in a manner of speaking? The war of sensibilities almost went out of control, but at least their souls were bared to us all. The recent exchanges of emails showed only one thing and it is clear that almost everyone involved is harboring resentment. Rightly or wrongly, I will stand by my observation.

This conflict has touched not my sensibilities but my inner senses. It opened new doors of understanding. New perceptions regarding the community we love and the persons who may have touched our lives. Household heads. Unit Heads. Chapter Heads. Sector Heads. Everyone who in one way or the other has trodden the path with us, directly or indirectly. This conflict brought my feet back to the ground. We are all but human after all. Our leaders are but human. I’m glad that my humanity is restored.

It is this realization that kept my own sensibilities in check. Honestly, I have my own. It gave me time to reflect on my life with the community. I have lived in total obedience to my leaders. Maybe, not blind obedience but total obedience. I attended my household meetings religiously. I attended our MCG meetings often at the expense of the times I would have accorded my family. I attended teachings and formations, believing it will enhance my knowledge of my relationship with the Lord and with my fellows. I obeyed, because my leaders would tell me to.

That was then, when my senses have been conditioned only to obey.

Because of this conflict, I now realized I have to see and learn everything beyond its face value. To be human again. To live with my feet firm on the ground and my eyes fixed on heaven.

This is what Pope Benedict XVI said on his dialogue with 400 priests while he was vacationing in Auronzo di Cadore in Italy recently. The pope told his flock to be truly man -- "that everyone according to their own gifts and their own charism loves the earth and the beautiful things the Lord has given us, but to also be grateful for the light of God that shines on the earth, that gives splendor and beauty to everything else."

These are priests who are our pastors. And I believe this also goes true with all of us in the community. The pope exhorts everyone to be truly human.

With my newfound humanity, I also reflected on the services I did for the community. I would accept assignments which sometimes are not according to what I wished for or really wanted. But I would still accept the offer because this is what the Lord would want of me as my service head would say then. So I did all of these according to the best of my abilities for God’s glory. I have always praised God for that opportunity to serve Him alone through the community. And on the other side of the spectrum, my human side, is a realization that I did them also for myself because I became comfortable doing it. It gave me joy and fulfillment. I found a purpose for my life. I did it for my brethren who have in need of my services. Without expecting anything in return, except their respect and friendship. That was what life meant to me as a CFC.

CFC I pray must also find its humanity back. To be in fellowship with one another. Men and women who give their respect and friendship to one another, nothing more, nothing less. This is what we must share to the world. Our life. Our fellowship. Our humanized relationship.

Only then can we all be proud to say that we do everything for our God.

SEND NOT THE CLOWNS

2007-07-19T20:41:00.000-07:00

I am really amazed with what's going on in the community we all have learned to love.

Honestly, I really love this community which I was made known to believe to be founded on love and Christian relationships. I believed in it because I have experienced it. Without this community, I really do not know how my life will turn out. I do not know if I will have the same relationship that I have now with my wife. I do not know if I will still have the same wonderful relationship with each of my seven children. One of whom is a missionary assigned to a far away country in the Middle East and is married to another missionary. I do not know if I will be able to raise my children as I have been able to because of what I learned from the community we all love. I love Couples for Christ.

My life took a drastic change when I and my wife joined CFC almost seventeen years ago. Here I found friends who will console you when you are down. Friends who will cheer with you when times are good. Friends who go out of their way just to make you feel you are loved.

Now, I'm amazed, nay, I think amused is the right word. I am amused to see people whom I have learned to respect bickering with one another. Amused to see these leaders voice out their differing views of the truth, in the presence of almost everyone. Amused, because they seem to have lost what it means to live as a people of God.

I'm amused to see people take sides and form different factions thus causing division in the community. I am not a fence-sitter. All I want is to hear the truth or the facts. I am here in the community because I believe that it was God who called me to be here. I am not beholden to anyone as CFC should not be beholden to no one. Sadly, I am amused that there are leaders who now seem to not know how to handle conflicts and disagreements.

Have we forgotten to relate with one another, the spirit of our charism which is the basic tenet of our community? Or do we only relate to others if they are within one's household? Or are we only willing to have relations to those who we serve with in any of our ministry, family or social?
How then can we conquer the world for Christ if we are a house divided? Majority of us are not preachers, our knowledge of the bible or of our faith is limited. Haven't we all realized that it is in witnessing that we evangelize? Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we were able to show to the world how wonderful it is to relate with one another as brothers and sisters in the faith. This is our strength. CFC’s charisma.

Alas, our strength has become our weakness. The source of the conflict.

If we can not now show how to relate with one another as we used to, then maybe this is the real reason why our membership is going down. Or why the number of members who are going out of the community is increasing.

If we can not build relationships as what we used to, then sadly, we have lost our charisma. CFC has lost its charisma.

Ahh! How sad. I still do not know how I will live in a world without CFC.

Still, I do not need clowns to amuse me.

The Relevance of the Mission

2007-07-03T02:28:00.000-07:00

Couples for Christ recently celebrated its 26th year of existence last 24th of June 2007 at the Luneta. Everyone was joyful and cheerful.

Amid the pompous celebration, how many of us took notice of these street children?

The boy could not be more than thirteen years of age and the girl could not be more than ten. Both bore marks and scars on their tender young skins. Signs of their fight for their daily survival. They were dirty, oily, pungent. He had in his hands a small plastic bag containing solvent material, an adhesive more popularly known as Rugby. He or sadly both uses it to get the high. To escape from the adverse realities they face each day. Out of curiosity, they joined us in the celebration.

They were there amongst us. Not to celebrate with us, but to scrounge for food or beg for anything that will help them survive for the day.

If we will only stop and pause for a while, it will be clear that they are the reason why our community must also survive. They are the reason that makes us relevant. A purpose for our lives. Our mission.

In spite of life's adversities, of hungers and disappointments, the little girl can still show us how to smile. A true child of innocence.

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Mathew 19:14)