WHITEShadow

Be happy and Enjoy life

2009-08-30T12:02:00.000-07:00

Everyone says, "How the time flies." The days go by and they are years, and the years finally become our whole life. Each daily portion can be wasted, or it can be a pleasure, before it is gone forever. If a bedtime review of the day concludes that we were too stressed, too busy, didn't accomplish anything, didn't have any fun, then it has been another lost piece of precious life.

Perhaps we are putting off our enjoyment until we have more time, or money, or some other improved condition. The trouble with that is that it might never happen, or it may be too long in coming. It's so important to accept this time, this very minute, as something of tremendous value that will very soon be gone forever. There are many ways to ensure that we make the best of our time here on earth.

In our daily routine let's include time to enjoy others and thus ourselves. Look and wonder at the trees, fields and mountains, smell the flowers, hear the birds, and watch the clouds in the sky.

Face your problems bravely, confidently, and improve on your situation, no matter what state it be in. Be good to feel good. Be active and improve your mind. Laugh, relax, and sleep well.

Money Won't Buy You Happiness

2009-05-21T10:13:00.000-07:00

Well, I think money brings happiness depending on how you use it. I myself like to help others, in result I feel really happy about seeing others happy as well so I feel great about being able to make others happy and to see them smile. So with money, you can make other happy making yourself happy if you enjoy it.

Have you ever noticed that most of the sulking, miserable people that you meet in everyday life are rich people?

The misery that these people go through is not because they don’t have enough money to by two square meals. It occurs due to the fact that everyone seems to have more expectations from money.

So if you are unhappy and think that money is the answer to your problems - think again! You simply are not happy because of your own emotions. There is a saying that ‘if you are not happy here and now, you never will be’. There is a lot of depth behind this statement.

Of course money IS important to help us live our life to the fullest. But at the same time, an increase in its inflow does not bring proportional happiness with it. You need to be aware of this.

Family Is The Cornerstone Of Our Lives.

2009-05-20T06:51:00.000-07:00

Family is the cornerstone of our lives. With this in mind, it is each and everyone's responsibility to build a family which has a solid foundation. We start first with our family then the people we know and help them in any way we can and the moment to do so is now.

We do not wait till the structure of the family breaks down and then think how we can make repair the damages.

We give attention to it as if we are growing a seed and nurture it with water, sunshine and fertile soil. We start with loving our family by encouraging them, listening to them, teach them good values, understand them, nurture them with good nutrition and exercises for a healthy minds. When we start caring for ourselves and our loved ones, our family stays intact as the values of the family are solid and each member of the family knows that they can trust the family to help them with any issues as there is already a strong bond and good communication.

We focus on building a family based on unconditional love. Unconditional love never fails anyone and that is exactly how we should bring up a family. When everybody has a good family, our society grows and prospers and when a society prospers, we then have people contributes to society and that contributes to a stable country with good leadership qualities.

When we help others we help ourselves as we do not leave alone and need others for the services they offer. We need nurses and doctors, lawyers and teachers and so many other professionals to enjoy our lives. Help ourselves build a great family and then help other. We will have a society that when energy is focus on strengthening the family, it is a great society and the leaders have truly hit the target on leading the nation.

Be a TRUE friend

2009-05-06T11:43:00.000-07:00

Every now and then, wherever I go, I can easily make friends with strangers. Although at the back of my mind, I always remember not to be too friendly and to choose friends with caution. Making friends is very easy like a usual part of me. I have a gift to discern who are true and who are not, but it doesn't matter sometimes, even if I know that they can't be a good influence for me, I would still love to be their friend if I know that somehow I can be of good influence to them. I should say that one of the greatest gift that I have and are been grateful of is the opportunity to met lots of true friends wherever I go.

Winning a friend can't be accomplished overnight or just a mere acquaintances but through the test of time. A true friend will come running for you if you're need help, always listen, never compromise, and treat you as part of her family and cares deeply for you and always extend a helping hand. But if you think you need a true friend to be there for you, be one or you will never be worthy for the blessing that comes along with your friendship, or your heart will harbor bad thought against others, envy, and contempt.

Life's journey will be easier if we share it with friends, grow and learn with them. Treasure the true one that comes along, and cherish the memories that had touched your life. Share love, laughters and live long!!!

Resurrection - A free Gift

2009-04-16T09:02:00.000-07:00

The Savior’s Resurrection assures all of us that someday we, too, will follow Him and experience our own resurrection. The gift of resurrection and immortality is given freely through the loving grace of Jesus Christ to all people of all ages, regardless of their good or evil acts.

John 11: 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: The Resurrection is unconditional and applies to all who have ever lived and ever will live. It is a free gift. In Acts 24:15 And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.Because of the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, physical death is only temporary: "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" ( 1 Corinthians 15:22

The miracle of the Lord’s Resurrection is a miracle for all mankind. This Resurrection reunited Christ’s physical body with His spirit. The Resurrection from the dead is a most beautiful aspect of the Atonement and truly a part of the plan of happiness; the Resurrection is universal and applies to the entire human family.

Nothing is more absolutely universal than the resurrection. Almost immediately after the glorious resurrection of the Lord, Matthew records, “The graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.” (Matt 27:52-53).

Now be of good cheer for we all know that we will meet our loved ones again, but will be best to have them with us in Jesus' feet.

Easter and Jesus Christ

2009-04-08T22:15:00.000-07:00

What is Easter? Easter is the day we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. But where did Easter come from? In this article you'll learn more about the history of the word Easter, how Easter is the time to remember Christ's eternal gift, and how Easter gives us hope.

Where Easter Comes From: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was crucified at the time of the passover. Three days later He rose from the dead and was resurrected which we celebrate on Easter.

From the Bible Dictionary we learn where the word Easter comes from: "The word Easter is from Eastre, a Norse goddess whose pagan festival was observed at the spring equinox. The association of this pagan goddess with the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ was only by adaptation and synthesis. There is no real connection.... It thus became a springtime anniversary, and has come to be called Easter in the Christian world" (Bible Dictionary: Easter).

Easter and Jesus Christ: When Christ was crucified upon the cross He gave up His life through the separation of His body and spirit. His body was laid to rest in a tomb while His spirit, which was still alive, was in the spirit of paradise. The criminal next to him asks Him to remember him when they die. He deliberately said He would be in paradise. (Luke 23:42-43).

While there, Christ was dead for those three days He was preaching His gospel to those spirits who hadn't heard it, the spirits who were in the spirit prison. ( 1 Peter 3: 18-19)

Three days later Jesus Christ was resurrected- His spirit returned to His body. Christ's crucifixion, death, and resurrection are all major parts of the Atonement and are what we should remember and celebrate at Easter. The day Jesus was resurrected was the first Easter.

Easter Gives Us Hope: Easter is a special holiday to celebrate because remembering Christ's atonement and resurrection brings hope and faith. "What meaning would life have without the reality of immortality? Otherwise life would become only a dismal journey of 'getting and spending,' only to end in utter and hopeless oblivion"

I know that Jesus is the Christ and that He suffered and died for each of us. I know He was resurrected and lives. Easter is a beautiful holiday when we can remember Jesus Christ and worship Him as the Son of God and as our Savior and Redeemer.

Atonement of Christ

2009-04-07T19:26:00.000-07:00

The Atonement of Jesus is depicted as he kneels in the Garden of Gethsemane (see Luke 22:43).

The literal meaning of the word "Atonement" is self-evident: at-one-ment, the act of unifying or bringing together what has been separated and estranged. The Atonement of Jesus Christ was indispensable because of the separating transgression, or fall, of Adam, which brought death into the world when Adam and Eve partook of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:9; 3:1-24).

Because He was God—even the Son of God—He could carry the weight and burden of other men's sins on Himself. Isaiah prophesied our Savior's willingness to do this in these words: "Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows. He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:4-5.)

That holy, unselfish act of voluntarily taking on Himself the sins of all other men is called the Atonement. How one could bear the sins for all is beyond the comprehension of mortal man. But this I know: He did take on Himself the sins of all and did so out of His infinite love for each of us.

No mortal being had the power or capability to redeem all other mortals from their lost and fallen condition, nor could any other voluntarily forfeit His life and thereby bring to pass a universal resurrection for all other mortals. Only Jesus Christ was able and willing to accomplish such a redeeming act of love.

What does the Atonement of Jesus Christ means to you? Please share your stories below.

Family Unity

2009-03-17T09:52:00.000-07:00

Every one of us belong to a family - the basic but the most important unit of the society. Each one has the responsibility and contributions to make to the family. Every person in the family are different, but we can have a successful and happy family if we all do our share.

Unity of Parents in the family begins with a loving parental relationship that sets an example for the family and extends in a personal way to each child. It will not always free parents from problems and challenges with their children, but it does enable families to cohesively focus on solutions. Both parents see family life as their most important work. In the little kingdom of a family, each spouse freely gives something the other who does not have and without which neither can be complete and return to God’s presence.

Family unity is maintained by sensitive and understanding communication between youth and parents. With this realization, self-mastery and obedience to rules will develop strengths and remove weaknesses from individuals in the family and will strengthen family unity. Be the kind of a family member who is willing to take time to be available. When a family member makes a decision which may be inadequate or improper, do we have the ability and patience to convey the attitude that we don’t agree with his decision but he has the right of choice and is still a loved member of the family? These and many other ills of our society today have their source in the breakdown of the family.Family unity and integrity are necessary to supply this need. A child needs parents who are happy in their relationship to each other, who are working happily toward the fulfillment of ideal family living, who love their children with a sincere and unselfish love, and who are committed to the family’s success. But the activities offered by the world outside the home are not always acceptable; many do not build family unity and a closeness to our Heavenly Father.Family unity, solidarity, and harmony should be preserved. Love, support, and family unity did not come automatically for most of these families but resulted from planning and effort. Parent and child must be willing to put family responsibilities first in order to achieve family's success and happiness.

Profanity can defile our body

2009-03-06T10:17:00.001-08:00

Try to ponder these verses before proceeding to the whole article:

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? “If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are”1cor3:16:17
“The tongue is a fire, … an unruly evil” that can defile the whole body. James 3:5-6

Profane referred to items not belonging to the church. As a result, "profane" and "profanity" has therefore come to describe a word, expression, gesture, or other social behavior which is socially constructed or interpreted as insulting, rude and vulgar or desecrating or showing disrespect. Other words commonly used to describe profane language or its use include: cuss, curse, derogatory language, swearing, expletive, oath, bad word, dirty word, strong language, irreverent language, obscene language, choice words, and blasphemous language. In many cultures it is less profane for an adult to curse than it is for a child, who may be reprimanded for cursing.

The original meaning of the term was restricted to blasphemy, sacrilege or saying God's name (or an identifier such as "Lord" or "God") in vain. In other words, "Oh my God" is often viewed as unaccepted or offensive amongst Christians. Profanity represented secular indifference to religion or religious figures, while blasphemy was a more offensive attack on religion and religious figures, and considered sinful. Profanities in the original meaning of blasphemous profanity are part of the ancient tradition of the comic cults, which laughed and scoffed at the deity or deities.

A common form of profanity is the desecration of the name of Deity. However, a good example alone is often not a cure for profanity. It is an evidence of a diseased soul. We know that the brain controls what words are spoken, but when we or our children allow a profanity to find a place in our vocabularies, the profanity, and not the brain, often seems to be in control. Profanity is a cyclic problem.

Some of the targets of these words have however attempted to reclaim them and reduce their power as insults. Words that are said in order to make someone or something look or feel bad. Cursing is a type of bad word usage.

The offensiveness or perceived intensity or vulgarity of the various profanities can change over time, with certain words becoming more or less offensive as time goes on. For example, in modern times the word piss is usually considered mildly vulgar and somewhat impolite.

Profane, vulgar, or crude language or gestures, as well as immoral jokes, are offensive to the Lord and to others. If friends and acquaintances use profanity, we can good-naturedly encourage them to choose other words. Profanity also takes its toll on the one who uses it. Profanity leads to more ungodliness because the Spirit of the Lord withdraws and the profane are left without guidance.
There is no need for any of us to use profanity. Profanity is more than just untidy language, for when we profane we relate to low and vulgar words the most sacred of all names.Today, probably more than in any other period of history, we find more profanity and vulgarity being used. Profanity is the effort of a feeble brain to express itself forcibly.

The increase of profanity and vulgarity in music, books, television, and movies serves as a commentary on our times.

Another kind of profanity is a group of four-letter words that are commonly used in anger, frustration—and even, sad to say, everyday speech, even among our young people, there is an evil and growing habit of profanity and the use of foul and filthy language. Profanity and crudeness do not exalt; they defile. Too often we hear profanity expressed by coaches and other adults who should be role models.

Pre-Marital Sex is condemned of God

2009-02-26T13:20:00.000-08:00

"Is it ok to have premarital sex?" That is a common question among teens and engaged couples. Perhaps you are in a relationship that is progressing in that direction, but you're not sure what to do. In your mind, you are probably weighing the pros and cons of premarital sex. The negative side of the scale carries the weights of morals, fear of pregnancy or disease, and guilt. How do these scales balance? What is the right decision? Let's take a look at some of the facts.

Morality is a factor for many people when deciding whether or not to have premarital sex. After all, the messages we receive from most TV shows and movies these days tells us "everyone is doing it." In light of today's permissive attitude, your peers may think you're weird to even question it. Maybe there is something inside you, like a voice in your head, that is making you uncertain about whether or not sex before marriage is a right or a wrong action. Many people refer to this voice as their conscience. How can you know if your "conscience" is right? People all around the world look to the Bible as a moral or religious book, so let's see what it says about premarital sex.

The Bible refers to premarital sex as fornication. That's a word we don't hear much these days, so what does it mean? Fornication is sexual intercourse between people who are not married to each other. The only distinction the Bible makes between premarital sex and adultery is that adultery involves married persons while fornication involves those who are unmarried. Premarital sex is just as much of a sin as adultery and all other forms of sexual immorality. They all involve having sexual relations with someone you are not married to.

The Bible explains, "…The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body" (1 Corinthians 6:13). Verse 18 of this chapter goes on to say, "Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body." Galatians 5:19 speaks the same, "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity…" Ephesians 5:3 says it most plainly, "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people." From these verses, we see that the Bible promotes complete and total abstinence from premarital sex.

Another consideration when deciding about premarital sex is safety. Did you know that 50% of the people who currently have HIV are between the ages of 15 and 24?¹ Using a condom only reduces the risk of contracting HIV by 85%. Condoms do not significantly reduce the risk of contracting other sexually transmitted diseases.² Take these statistics into consideration when making your decision.

Most people don't consider the emotional effects of premarital sex. You see, sex is an emotional experience and it affects our lives in ways we don't understand. After engaging in premarital sex, many people express feelings of guilt, embarrassment, distrust, resentment, lack of respect, tension, and so much more. As you read the next section, consider God's love for you as a primary reason for sexual purity. God does not want you to experience unnecessary emotional pain!

In discussing premarital sex, we often focus on the "recreation" aspect of it. Yes, sex is pleasurable. God, our Creator, designed it that way. It may be hard to think of God creating sex, but He did! In God's plan, sex was designed for married couples to enjoy the pleasure and excitement of sexual relations. The Bible talks about this in Hebrews 13:4, "Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral." God created sex to be fun, exciting, and pleasurable. At the same time, though, it is clear in the Bible that God restricts sexual activity to married couples.

Why is this? Yes, sex is pleasurable, but in God's view, the primary purpose of sex is not recreation, but rather re-creation. In other words, sex is for reproduction. God does not limit sex to married couples to rob pleasure from those who are unmarried. Rather, God commands against premarital sex in order to protect unmarried people from unwanted pregnancies, from children born to parents who do not want them, and to protect children from parents who are not prepared for them. Imagine, for a moment, a world without premarital sex. There would be no sexually-transmitted diseases, there would be no un-wed mothers, there would be no unwanted pregnancies, there would be no abortions, etc. According to the Bible, abstinence is God's only policy when it comes to premarital sex. Abstinence saves lives, protects babies, gives sexual relations the proper value, and most importantly abstinence honors God.

Sometimes you will hear people say that the Bible doesn't say anything about premarital sex. Apparently this statement is made by people who haven't read the Bible or, at least, who haven't read it thoroughly. The Bible speaks in clear language directly to the issue in both the Old and New Testaments. Premarital sex is viewed as a "disgraceful thing" and "evil."

It is clear, however, that virginity is still the standard for unmarried Christians and that sex outside the context of marriage is still considered sin. Not only a woman is to save her virginity before marriage but also the man is to be a virgin when he takes his wife.

Notice that to avoid sexual immorality outside of marriage people should marry. If you are struggling with wanting to have sex, get married. Premarital sex isn't an option for dealing with lust. It's either marriage or you are in sexual sin.

"Acquire a wife in a way that is holy and honorable" or you are in sexual immorality. Sexual sin harms others besides those who engage in it. In adultery, the spouse is always wronged. Premarital sex "cheats" the future partner by robbing him or her of the virginity that ought to be brought to marriage. For these reasons, sexual union has a special role for the unity in marriage, expression of love, pure pleasure and enjoyment, and procreation. To reduce it to any of them and ignore the others is to deny God's intent for sex.

As a Christian you tried to fight off temptation every day. Being tempted is not the sin, but giving into the temptation is. Christians were sinners before they came to Christ and Christians are still sinners after they come to Christ. If you have violated God's standards of premarital sex, but are repentant, then accept the FACT that you are washed, made pure, and in a right relationship with your heavenly Father. Seek the miracle of His power filling you to overcome further temptation toward sexual sin.

HE Is GOD

2009-02-15T15:10:00.000-08:00

~He Is God~

He is the First and Last,
The Beginning and the End!

He is the keeper of Creation and the Creator of all!
He is the Architect of the universe and the Manager of all times.
He always was, He always is, and He always will be ...
unmoved, Unchanged, Undefeated, and never Undone!

He was bruised and brought healing!
He was pierced and eased pain!
He was persecuted and brought freedom!
He was dead and brought life!
He is risen and brings power!
He reigns and brings Peace!
The world can't understand him,
The armies can't defeat Him,
The schools can't explain Him, and The leaders can't ignore Him.
Herod couldn't kill Him, The Pharisees couldn't confuse Him, and The people couldn't hold Him!
Nero couldn't crush Him, Hitler couldn't silence Him,
The New Age can't replace Him, and "Oprah" can't explain Him away!

He is light, love, longevity, and Lord.
He is goodness, Kindness, Gentleness, and God.
He is Holy, Righteous, mighty, powerful, and pure.

His ways are right,
His word is eternal,
His will is unchanging, and His mind is on me.
He is my Savior,
He is my guide, and He is my peace!
He is my Joy,
He is my comfort,
He is my Lord, and He rules my life!

I serve Him because His bond is love,
His burden is light, and His goal for me is abundant life.

I follow Him because He is the wisdom of the wise,
the power of the powerful,
the ancient of days, the ruler of rulers, the leader of leaders, the overseer of the overcomers, and is to come. And if that seems impressive to you, try this for size.

His goal is a relationship with ME!
He will never leave me,
never forsake me,
never mislead me,
never forget me,
never overlook me and
never cancel my appointment in His appointment book!

When I fall, He lifts me up!
When I fail, He forgives!
When I am weak, He is strong!
When I am lost, He is the way!
When I am afraid, He is my courage!
When I stumble, He steadies me!
When I am hurt, He heals me!
When I am broken, He mends me!
When I am blind, He leads me!
When I am hungry, He feeds me!
When I face trials, He is with me!
When I face persecution, He shields me!
When I face problems, He comforts me!
When I face loss, He provides for me!
When I face Death, He carries me Home!

He is everything for everybody everywhere, every time, and every way.

He is God, He is faithful. I am His, and He is mine!

My Father in heaven can whip the father of this world.
So, if you're wondering why I feel so secure, understand this...

He said it and that settles it.
God is in control, I am on His side,
and that means all is well with my soul.

Everyday is a blessing for GOD Is!

I love the Lord and thank Him for all that He has done in my life; therefore I'm posting this on.

Prayer - A Commandment

2009-02-03T07:40:00.000-08:00

This article is in response to the question of Tikno about prayer.He said " I would like to know your opinion about praying with facing the holy-statue like in some particular society. For example, ritual in the temples". I should say in my opinion that there is nothing wrong when and where we pray, the question is "to whom we are praying to" and "how we pray".

The first two of the Ten Commandments the Lord gave the children of Israel were "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" and "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth". The term idolatry usually refers to the worship of a fetish, a graven image, or an imagined, unseen deity. Some people do not bow before graven images or statues but instead replace the living God with other idols, such as money, material possessions, ideas, or prestige.

Worshipping modern graven images still results in confusion, corruption, and a divided heart. The worship of graven images is reflected in the way our children are living their lives. Guarding against idolatry as a key to countering the influence of modern images is keeping our hearts centered on God.

In this commandment, the Lord condemns the worship of idols.

I wonder if we ever know how to pray. If we say that we knew the Lord’s Prayer. That is good! but let me share you how to do a personal prayer.First we habve to go to a quite place and prepare ourselves to invite the Holy Spirit. We get on our knees in an attitude of humility before the God of heaven. With our thoughts and hearts focus to our Father in Heaven, we may start to recognize His presence and give thanks to all the blessings we receive since He is the source of everything. Then, we have to lift the petition of our hearts, and after we say what we wanted to say we want to close it "in the name of Jesus Christ, amen". Why? because Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, and no one commeth to the Father but through Him (John 14: 6). Also we have to remember that everything comes through the Father's will and not ours.

Although we cannot be continuously on our knees, always offering a personal, private prayer, we can let our hearts be "full, drawn out in prayer unto [God] continually. At times we may be asked to offer a public prayer, perhaps in a Church meeting or class.

And even though we recognize the importance of prayer, all of us can improve the consistency and efficacy of our personal and family prayers. Blessings require some effort on our part before we can obtain them, and prayer, as “a form of work, … is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings”

“Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire, uttered or unexpressed” When we remember that each of us is literally a spirit son or daughter of God, we will not find it difficult to approach Him in prayer.

Truth in Traditions and Superstitions

2009-01-23T09:17:00.001-08:00

Is there any truth in Traditions and Superstitions? How are these affect our faith?

Many superstitions result from lack of knowledge of causality, others from unenlightened fears. Many superstitions could be based on accidental luck or misfortune. Most are found in our society as old traditions which transferred from one generation to another.

Other people do not rely on this belief as a great deal but they do sometimes as a sort of imitation. We know that there is no understandable scientific justification of this belief, but some people still believe in it and they try hard to arrange their life according to it. It can even affect the worship we offer the true God, e.g., when one attributes an importance in some way magical to certain practices otherwise lawful or necessary. Some believes if wearing a particular dress or ornament brought good luck on a certain occasion, then there is a tendency to repeat that dress or ornament. Subsequently if the dress or the ornament continues to bring "luck" it is our faith or belief that works in making it "lucky." Hence we have a series of superstitions, such as, if a cat crosses our path, it is bad omen. It is good luck to find a four-leaf clover; and breaking of a mirror brings seven years of bad luck.

Likewise, belief in the power of the "evil eye" is not a superstition. Evil eye is the destructive power of thought. Our thoughts coalesce with elementals and become an entity.

"Greatly mistaken, or as grossly unjust is he who affirms that...strange beliefs are limited to paganism, or that they are the direct result of the heathen religions alone. Adopted by the archaic priestly, hierarchies, the policy of subjecting the ignorant masses, by working on their untutored imaginations and credulous fears. Unstemmed it ran in a straight course, through Paganism, Judaism, and Christianism alike, catching up in its current all the garbage of human dead letter interpretations...."(The Theosophist, December 1881)

Traditions lay down the code of conduct for individuals, societies, families, etc. It is these traditions which prepare a person for the higher spiritual life. However, we need to distinguish between true and false traditions. Many traditions are universal, no mythological story, no traditional event in the folk-lore of a people has ever been, at any time, pure fiction, but that every one of such narratives has an actual, historical lining to it.

Some superstitions originated as religious practices that continued to be observed by people who no longer adhere to the religion that gave birth to the practice. Often the practices lost their original meaning in this process. In other cases, the practices are adapted to the current religion of the practicer. As an example, during the Christianizing of Europe, pagan symbols to ward off evil were replaced with the Christian Cross.

Some Churches considers superstition to be sinful in the sense that it denotes a lack of trust in the divine providence of God and, as such, is a violation of the first of the Ten Commandments.Though lots of people find it hard to go against the traditions that have been long established in their community, they often do things because they have been well established in society, despite the fact that they are convinced that logical reasoning proves them wrong or even harmful.It is enough that we create some doubt in the recipient's mind, because this doubt will lead him to further questioning and eventual conviction of the truth. When such a person arrives at the truth in a particular aspect, realizing that contrary tradition in that particular aspect is baseless, he will acknowledge that other traditional beliefs and practices have no basis.

Mom's Wisdom

2009-01-18T08:57:00.001-08:00

My Mom is in her seventies, and has seen a lot in her lifetime. She faced challenges that we all face one way or the other. She has seen successes and many happy times throughout her life. Recently, we were talking and I asked her if she could give me just three pieces of advice to live my life what would they be. After some thought, she said she would have to think about it. It surprised me that she wanted time to think about it. She always was free with her advice sometimes even when I didn't want to hear it.
I arrived at her house the next day where she handed me a piece of paper with her three pieces of wisdom written out. She explained to me that if she was only able to give me three, that these three were the most important.

As I read them, I realized the importance of what she was telling me. She wasn't telling me to save my money, nor was she telling me to work hard. Her 3 most important things to live a happy life were truly pieces of wisdom.

What were they? Here is the wisdom my Mom shared with me:

1. Make each new day count by helping someone or just making someone smile.
2. Don't dwell on life's troubles, think of the good times.
3. Don't worry about things you can't do anything about.

This was an interesting thing to do. Perhaps, like me, you have someone in your life that has been there for you, no matter what. My Mom has always been one of my biggest supporters and the wisdom she has given me over the years has helped shaped the person I am today. Ask that person in your life to give you three pieces of advice to live a good life. You may be pleasantly surprised by the answers you get.

A Lesson in Life

2009-01-12T08:18:00.000-08:00

Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by means of good or bad luck. Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul. Without these small tests, if they be events, illnesses or relationships, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere.

If someone hurts you, betrays you , or breaks your heart, forgive them. For they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious to who you open your heart to.

If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but because they are teaching you to love and opening your heart and eyes to things you would have never seen or felt without them.

Make every day count. Appreciate every moment and take from it everything that you possibly can, for you may never be able to experience it again.

Talk to people you have never talked to before, and actually listen. Hold your head up because you have every right to. Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don't believe in yourself, no one else will believe in you either.

You can make of your life anything you wish. Create your own life and then go out and live it.

Reflections---Looking back

2009-01-05T12:23:00.000-08:00

Although the Christmas season is over, the memories of it will linger in our hearts throughout our life. As our family rings in the New Year, we take time to rekindle cherished moments on our lives. Life is a growing and a learning process. Through open and honest evaluation of the past year and admitting the mistakes we made - we learn and grow.

May we ask ourselves what we might have done differently and what might have been the benefits with approaching issues with different attitudes? In doing so, God can reveal the truth through the Holy Spirit.

Personally, I have learned that first and foremost, I must go to the one who not only has all wisdom, He is Wisdom, whom can we ask best counsel from, if it not through our Heavenly Father? God has promised if we ask for wisdom he will give it to us.

Please take a moment to read the story of the Wisdom of Solomon. 1 Kings 3: 4-15.
Solomon approached God to request for wisdom. Scriptures say that the request pleased God. That alone, encourages me to seek God for wisdom, because I desire to please God. Scriptures also tell us that because he did, God made promises for things Solomon did not even ask for.

1 Kings 3:12 -14 "I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for--both riches and honor—so that in your life in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in my ways, and obey my statues, and commands as David, your father did, I will give you a long life."

God resists the proud, but if we humble ourselves before Him, He gives grace, and He will exalt us in due time. 1 Peter 5:6. Pride puts a barrier between us and God. Pride will hinder our prayers. When prayers seem empty or unanswered, we should search our heart and ask a few questions:

Have I repented all my sins? Sin separates us from God.

Am I asking according to God’s will? Thy will be done.

Do I have a forgiving heart? Forgive to be forgiven.

If the previous questions can be honestly answered with,” no,” then we must simply wait on the Lord for his timing. His timing is always perfect, never too early, never too late.

Finally, ask the question, what does God require of me?Micah 6:6 answered the question beautifully: Do justly, love mercy; walk humbly with your God. Humility brings results.

New Year's celebrations bring forth all kinds of resolutions. Make resolutions to yourselves this year. Resolve to seek God first in all your decisions, whether great, or small - with a pure and humble heart. Give thanks with a grateful heart for all He has done, and will do in the year to come.

Santa Claus is Saint Nicholas

2008-12-27T23:14:00.000-08:00

Most people are aware that the origin of Santa Claus is Saint Nicholas, but many aren't completely aware of who he was and what he represents.

Saint Nicholas was a very real person who was born as the only child to wealthy parents around 270 A.D. in what is now Turkey. Upon the death of his parents while he was yet relatively young, he inherited a rather large sum of money. It is said that he was already a religious boy and that soon after the death of his parents, he dedicated his life to serving Jesus Christ.

He became very well known for his love of children and generosity to the poor. His method of giving was generally more in the form of throwing a bag of money into a window, or putting gold coins in the stockings of the needy as they hung out to dry.

There are many legends that go with the type of person St. Nicholas was. One of the better-documented accounts of his generosity tells of a family who was starving with no money for food much less money for a dowry so the father could marry off his three daughters. The father was considering sending at least the oldest out to earn money as a prostitute. When the young Nicholas heard of this, he went during the night to a window of the home and threw in a bag of gold coins. In the morning they found the gold; they now had money for food and a dowry as well. The daughter kept her honor.

Because there were two other sisters, the young Nicholas threw in two more bags of coins on two other occasions. By the third time, the father wanted to know whom the benefactor was and watched until finally he caught the lad after he threw the third bag of money. It is reported that Nicholas was very upset that someone knew of his acts of charity and made the father promise not to tell anyone who had helped his family.

Eventually he became the bishop of the church in Myra where he was known for more great acts of charity. One legend said that some children were captured by a group of pirates that threatened to take the children to be sold as slaves if some large amount of money was not given to them. This bishop is said to have gotten the money himself and given it to the pirates to save the children.

During this period of history, the Romans were still persecuting Christians with their infamous cruelties including throwing them to the lions, etc. Although the worst persecution of the Christians had just taken place about 250 A.D. under the reign of Decius Trajan, there had been relative peace in the later part of the century. But in 303 A.D., the last of the great Roman persecutions began. The Roman Emperor Diocletian was persuaded again to suppress the Christian religion. Those who would not give up following the Lord, Jesus Christ, and turn over their sacred books would be either killed or put in prison. Those who went to prison were cruelly tortured.

Many great men suffered and died in defense of their faith in Christ. St. Nicholas was among these bishops.

This part of Saint Nicholas is not legend, it is part of history. While he lived in a world where apostasy from Christianity was all around him, he stood for what he believed. Saint Nicholas was one of the few who survived Diocletian's torture chambers. This is where he gained his title Saint; for those who did survive were called "saints" by the people in honor of their great devotion to Jesus Christ.

Saint Nicholas was freed when the new Emperor Constantine came to power. It is said that as he reentered Myra, the people flocked around him in his honor. He may have been beaten and tortured, but he was not broken. He went on to serve the people for many more years giving service and adding to the legends of his great goodness. To me this is a story of a man who did his best to serve his God and apply the principles taught by Jesus Christ. It is one that is worthy of being pasted down to our children.

In Germany Saint Nicholas is still called by that name, not Santa Claus. He is a priest with a normal sized body who wears a plain robe, without fur, that is not necessarily red. He has no magical powers or magical reindeer and elves -- he rides a donkey that he must coax along. Saint Nicholas day is December 6th, the day that the real Saint Nicholas died. On the night of the December 5th is when he leaves his presents and the children put their shoes by the door for him. Because this Saint Nicholas is more human, he doesn't come down the chimney nor can he put his finger to the side of his nose and go back up to the roof top. December 25th and 26th (they have two days for Christmas) is a time only for the celebration of the birth of Christ.

We have adopted many of these German customs. We tell our children about Saint Nicholas rather than Santa Claus and we celebrate his example on the 6th. I explain that it is the example and spirit of generosity that lives on. We try to give our children opportunities to play this secret role of giving to other families so that they too can feel of this spirit.

I believe that as Christians ourselves we should be promoting a Christian emphasis for the holiday. Statistics show that only 21% consider this a time to think about the birth of the Savior. For most people in America, Santa Claus is the only level celebrated. But even Santa Claus is a thread for these people back to Christianity. Perhaps we can spread the word of who this man was and help them understand that if the real Saint Nicholas were here to celebrate with us, he would tell us to look to the Son of God. I believe he would also be reminding us that we are celebrating a Holy Day and that this is the original meaning of the word Holiday.

The real reason for CHRISTmas

2008-12-21T18:35:00.000-08:00

I would just like to say that I hope everyone has a merry Christmas. Please don't forget the reason why we have Christmas. As Christmas draws near, let us remember the true meaning of why we celebrate it. We celebrate because a Savior which is Christ the Lord was born. The angel said, "I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." In a world where it is not politically correct to mention Christ the Lord at Christmas time, Remember that Christ's birth is the reason we celebrate Christmas! So instead of saying Happy Holidays, tell the world Merry CHRISTmas!

True Christmas Spirit- Author Unknown

2008-12-21T18:14:00.001-08:00

It was only four days before Christmas. The spirit of the season hadn't yet caught up with me, even though cars packed the parking lot of our local discount store. Inside the store, it was worse. Shopping carts and last minute shoppers jammed the aisles. Why did I come today? I wondered. My feet ached almost as much as my head.

My list contained names of several people who claimed they wanted nothing but I knew their feelings would be hurt if I didn't buy them anything. Buying for someone who had everything and deploring the high cost of items, I considered gift-buying anything but fun. Hurriedly, I filled my shopping cart with last minute items and proceeded to the long checkout lines.

I picked the shortest line but it looked as if it would mean at least a 20 minute wait. In front of me were two small children - a boy of about 5 and a younger girl. The boy wore a ragged coat. Enormously large, tattered tennis shoes jutted far out in front of his much too short jeans. He clutched several crumpled dollar bills in his grimy hands. The girl's clothing resembled her brother's. Her head was a matted mass of curly hair. Reminders of an evening meal showed on her small face. She carried a beautiful pair of shiny, gold house slippers.

As the Christmas music sounded in the store's stereo system, the girl hummed along, off-key but happily. When we finally approached the checkout register, the girl carefully placed the shoes on the counter. She treated them as though they were a treasure. The clerk rang up the bill. "That will be $6.09," she said. The boy laid his crumpled dollars atop the stand while he searched his pockets. He finally came up with $3.12. "I guess we will have to put them back, " he bravely said. "We will come back some other time, maybe tomorrow." With that statement, a soft sob broke from the little girl. "But Jesus would have loved these shoes, " she cried. "Well, we'll go home and work some more.

Don't cry. We'll come back," he said. Quickly I handed $3.00 to the cashier. These children had waited in line for a long time. And, after all, it was Christmas. Suddenly a pair of arms came around me and a small voice said, "Thank you, lady." "What did you mean when you said Jesus would like the shoes?" I asked. The boy answered, "Our mommy is sick and going to heaven. Daddy said she might go before Christmas to be with Jesus." The girl spoke, "My Sunday school teacher said the streets in heaven are shiny gold, just like these shoes. Won't mommy be beautiful walking on those streets to match these shoes?" My eyes flooded as I looked into her tear streaked face. "Yes" I answered, "I am sure she will."

Silently I thanked God for using these children to remind me of the true spirit of giving.

Does Xmas Take Christ Out of Christmas?

2008-12-21T17:54:00.000-08:00

Xmas vs. Christmas : Xmas isn't the work of the devil. I grew up under the assumption that spelling Christmas as "Xmas" was a way of naming the holiday separate from its religious beginnings. I always kinda hated it, thinking that people were so averse to religion that they were x-ing out Christ's name.

Here's the Explanation....

The fish, Greek ichthys (ixquj), is a symbol for Christ which has been in use since the days of the early church. In Greek, it is an acronym for Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Savior:

Jesus - I h s o u V

Christ - C r i s t o V

God's - Q e o u

Son - U i o V

Savior - S w t h r

Frequently Christians were forced to worship secretly. The fish symbol served them well in difficult times because it generally would go unnoticed by a foe of Christianity when Christians used it to communicate. Placed outside a Christian's home, this symbol would announce silently that Christian Communion was to be observed secretly there that night. Artistic forms of the fish frequently decorated the Roman catacombs where Christians were forced to meet during persecution.

Notice that X was the first letter in the word that was Greek for Christ. In the fourth century, copies of the scriptures had to hand written. Commonly used terms were abbreviated using the letter abbreviation. The original four gospels were written in Greek and so the abbreviation of X for Christ remained.

So the next time you see the X used in Christmas instead of Christ, instead of being upset and feeling like it is an effort to take Christ out of Christmas, be reminded of early Christians trying to worship their Savior and later by people trying to speed up the process of making more copies of the scriptures.

Love is on the Air!

2008-12-17T09:25:00.000-08:00

It is felt everywhere if time is normal. Not to some that are affected by the collapse of the economy and for those who lost their jobs and houses, for those who tried to keep themselves warm on the side of the streets and under the bridge, to those who were left by the family, those who don't have a family to call their own and those who are suffering from pain of illness, lost of loved ones and depression. But even in times like these, the spirit of Christmas is evidently seen everywhere. More giving hearts, more smiling faces, more helping hands and more hopes and prayers. Do we really have to wait for this season to show more kindness and feel more love to other people? I call it seasonal love! Maybe we can live better than that, maybe we can live with it all year round. Do you think we can do it?

Charity - a pure love of Christ

2008-12-12T11:20:00.000-08:00

In Christian theology charity, or love (agapē), means an unlimited loving-kindness toward all others. The term should not be confused with the more restricted modern use of the word charity to mean benevolent giving.

Love, in this sense of an unlimited loving-kindness towards all others, is held to be the ultimate perfection of the human spirit, because it is said to both glorify and reflect the nature of God. In its most extreme form such love can be self-sacrificial. This love is necessary for salvation, and with it no one can be lost. Charity is comprised two parts, love of God and love of man, which includes both love of one's neighbor and one's self. Jesus Christ is the perfect example of charity. His crowning expression of charity was His infinite Atonement.

The stronger our hope, the purer our charity. The reason why charity never fails and the reason why charity is greater than even the most significant acts of goodness is that charity, “the pure love of Christ”, is not an act but a condition or state of being. Charity is something one becomes. "Charity Never Faileth". Charity encompasses all other godly virtues. When all else fails, charity—Christ’s love—will not fail.

"Charity suffereth long and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away". (1Cor 13:4-8)

If ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all. … “Charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever.”

How to Stay Married!---Great Story

2008-12-08T12:53:00.000-08:00

A man and woman had been married for more than 60 years. They had shared everything. They had talked about everything. They had kept no secrets from each other except that the little old woman had a shoe box in the top of her closet that she had cautioned her husband never to open or ask her about.

For all of these years, he had never thought about the box, but one day the little old woman got very sick and the doctor said she would not recover. In trying to sort out their affairs, the little old man took down the shoe box and took it to his wife's bedside. She agreed that it was time that he should know what was in the box.

When he opened it, he found two crocheted dolls and a stack of money totalling $95,000. He asked her about the contents. "When we were to be married," she said, "My grandmother told me the secret of a happy marriage was to never argue. She told me that if I ever got angry with you, I should just keep quiet and crochet a doll."

The little old man was so moved; he had to fight back tears. Only two precious dolls were in the box. She had only been angry with him two times in all those years of living and loving. He almost burst with happiness. "Honey," he said, "that explains the doll, but what about all of this money? Where did it come from?" "Oh," she said, "That’s the money I made from selling the dolls.”

Chastity - a Heavenly Virtue

2008-12-02T08:10:00.000-08:00

Chastity is sexual purity. Being chaste is to be morally clean, in thoughts, in words and in deeds . And while we are in the era of new fashion, the style of accessories and clothing worn can be used to broadcast a person's receptiveness to sexual advances. For this reason, cultures which attempt to foster chastity often employ a modest style of dress, especially for women.

I pray that this issue will help us understand of the vital truth that chastity is the ultimate and perfect standard underlying all spiritual progression. There is no joy to be found in breaking this law. The primary reason for obedience to all the laws of chastity is to keep the commandments of God. Chastity has to do with the sacredness of the power of procreation. In fact, chastity and fidelity begin in the spirit, not in the body. Thus, chastity and fidelity are more than sexual abstinence before marriage and sexual fidelity after marriage. It can keeps you safe and makes your future marriage stronger. Please believe me when I say that chastity is worth more than life itself. Try to relate your feelings about the blessings of obeying the law of chastity.

Today millions of people are buying the rationale that chastity is outdated. But no matter how much we tried to keep ourselves from the truth, our gospel duty remain to do what is right and to love and delight in what is right. I delight in the chastity and purity of all women and men. How it must grieve the Lord to see virtue violated and modesty mocked on every side in this wicked world.

Be Prepared!!!

2008-11-25T07:32:00.000-08:00

Millions of people from all over the world are suffering from hunger, thirst, isolation and diseases. Watching the news about war for power, war against poverty, war against illnesses and even spiritual war, each of us have our own battle to face. How are we going to prepare and protect our family? There are lots of information we can get from our local fire station and red cross stations, and on-line. The government gives us the resources and guidelines on how we can be prepared with our family. Our problem is we don't set the goal to when we can start preparing. We have to act now before it's too late.

There are six phases of personal and family preparedness that have been stressed by some insititutional leaders: education, career development, financial, health, and spiritual preparedness, and home production and storage. Of course, we need to help care for those people who do not have adequate means. When we speak of family preparedness, we should speak of foreseen, anticipated, almost expected needs which can be met through wise preparation. This fact further underscores the need for family preparedness. But spiritually minded people finds that the preparedness encouraged by the Church—temporal, emotional, and spiritual—helps them feel more secure and cope more successfully with the trauma. Coping temporal preparedness starts with a year’s supply of food, clothing, and, where possible, fuel. It is truly the first step towards personal and family financial preparedness. We cannot progress without attending to our own personal and family preparedness on a regular basis. Preparedness is not something that is static; it is ever changing.

We need to be more responsible for the things that are yet to come and be prepared for it. We can't just set back and relax and blame our government. Of course, the government are playing a big role in our total national security but we are the one who make the government and we need to do our part-start from ourselves and our family.