home of good ideas

Forgiveness

2010-03-10T05:50:00.006+08:00

Why do most people find it hard to forgive? While we are taught that compassion is a good virtue, the process of healing from a damage done may not take instantly. The readiness to respite maybe influenced by reasons and intensity of the damage done. But in totality the action revolves around the character of humility.

We accept the fact that we all have once sinned. The way we accept and treat our own sins has direct relationship with how we treat the sins of others on us. Meaning, even though there is an accepted moral guidelines of how to treat errors, we still use our own meter stick. When we believe that we should be pardoned instantly from a simple lie, we practice it by granting apology to those who lie to us.

The problem arise when our judgment become one sided and self-centered. There are cases when we believe that cheating others could be a sin worth to forgive in an hour yet when we are cheated we condemn the person and even put on severe punishment before forgiving the sinner. Oftentimes the decision for pardon is based on the character of the sinner. Under the same circumstances we forgive our best friend quickly than a stranger. More often we pardon our friends easily than our family members.

But God is teaching us to be impartial. To treat everyone as equals. Jesus even gave quick pardon to the thief on the cross. In one encounters with the disciples, Peter asked Jesus "“Lord, how many times shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Even seven times?” and Jesus said to him: “I do not say to you, even seven times, but even seventy times seven times." (Mt 18:21-22).

Forgiving is a really good virtue. There is no limit; there are no conditions. If we only forgive those who forgive us. What difference we have with the criminals.

image from: www.artnsoulwrks.com

Having the right choice

2010-02-19T11:22:00.000+08:00

Sometimes we face the predicament of choosing between two things that both matter in our lives. A choice between a woman and another woman, the wife or the mother, go or stay, career or family, and many other similar situations.

During one of our prayer meetings. We lighted a candle in an altar and made sure it was lit throughout the entire session. But the host felt it was hot so he put on the electric fan. As the air blew from the fan the candle was put off by the gust. We lit it again as a requirement to the ceremony, but the air threatened it once more. We could not put off the fan either lest we feel more uncomfortable. What we did was to cover the fan's air flow to the candle. And so we completed the session with both the candle and the fan on. The point is, when there is a way to balance everything, why put off the fan or the candle when you can have them both.

God made every situations and problems surmountable for us. Let us not forget that when things turned out to be tough to decide, God is always there to guide and lead us the way. Always offer your decisions to the Lord and choose whichever is under God's command over that of man. Take the examples of David. When asked which penalty to take from God, David said "...I am in deep distress. Let me fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men.(1 Chronicles 21:13)"

The right choice may not be the best one, but it should be that pleases the Lord more. So ask the Lord and discern for the most righteous decisions.

Speaking in tounges

2010-01-26T07:31:00.003+08:00

'A man filled with the Spirit will speak the language of the Spirit.' For so many times I heard these words and I recalled them as I read today's Gospel a portion of which says, "Now these signs will accompany those who believe... They will speak in new languages..." (Mark 16:17).

Bible scholars believed speaking in new languages literally means speaking a kind of language or dialect foreign to the one speaking it, that even the one who spoke them could not understand its meaning. Other believers are also gifted by the Spirit to interpret those language spoken without any prior formal education. Early Christian communities and even charismatic groups today accept the facts presented as real and true. The Bible itself has supporting verses that corroborates the interpretation.

I personally experienced speaking in tongues; uttering words i could not understand. They usually occur to me when speaking words of praise and worship. The experience makes me feel closer to God. This is because praising in tongue is praising God by the language of Heaven. I believe, by that moment my Spirit is connecting to heaven in complete harmony with God in the words They both understand.

Many, however, question the phenomenon and consider them as works of the devil. Whatever is their logic I stand to support my understanding because I myself can attest to my experience that there is no devilish acts in it.

The gift of tongue is not for human satisfaction, it is for God's. God gave us wisdom for His works of spreading His love for mankind. He gave us the power to speak the language of heaven for His delight.

image from: www.trinos.org.au

Banana blossoms in coco-milk Filipino style

2010-01-11T01:05:00.002+08:00

I haven't seen banana blossoms in Farmville. Perhaps the developers don't know it makes a good dish. Well, as I mentioned we look back into the traditional Filipino or Southeast Asian food and banana blossom specialties are among those.

Let's go cooking. All you need are the following:

Ingredients:
2 banana blossoms
1 cup thick coconut milk
2 T vinegar
1/4 cup sliced tomatoes
1/4 cup sliced onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 T cooking oil
salt
peeper

Directions:
Remove the tough covering of the blossoms. Cut into thin slices crosswise. Add 2 tablespoons coarse salt and squeeze off bitter juice. Rinse in water and squeeze dry. Set aside.

Heat oil in skillet and saute the garlic until light brown. Add onion and then the tomatoes. Cook about 3 minutes. Add banana blossoms and vinegar and bring to a boil without stirring. Simmer for another 3 minutes. Add salt and peeper to taste and stir. Continue cooking until banana blossoms is tender. Add thick coconut milk and turn off heat.

Serve hot.

Coconut Milk Specialty

2010-01-02T01:00:00.001+08:00

Visit the forum on this topic.

Howdy! Friends, guests, ladies and gentlemen, its another fresh year. Home of good ideas extends its greetings to our avid visitors.

It seems we ran out of post during the Christmas season because of many celebrations, parties, and out of town trips. But we are back again this time. As an opener for January 2010, we offer you new recipes in our Monday cooking. For Filipinos out there you will like this features as we refresh our appetites with traditional foods served with a popular Filipino ingredient, the coconut cream -"gata." And for sure you must have heard the health benefits of taking MCFA 0r medium chain fatty acids, especially lauric acid abundantly found in coconut oil. We will be having a feature about it in our Health and Family section later this month.

In preparation for the coming coconut milk based dishes, we share with you a simple way to prepare your coconut milk or "gata."

You need a mature coconut, husk removed and cut into half with the water set aside for other use. A mature coconut has a hard meat and a hard and dark brown shell. Coconut is available in local markets.

Coconut milk has 2 categories, the thick and the thin. Thick milk is obtained by directly pressing the grated coconut milk, however if extracting out of 1 coconut only, 1/2 cup of clean water (previously boiled and allowed to cool) can be added to easily remove the milk. Then the milk is strained in clean cheesecloth to remove the solids. Set aside and use in the cooking.

The thin coconut milk can be derived from the grates previously extracted with the thick milk. Add 1 cup water to the grates and extract. Repeat 2 to 3 times more and combine the extract then strain. Set aside the thin milk for use in the cooking.

The milk out of this process is fresh and can be used directly or chilled and use within the next day. Prolonged storage may affect quality of food.

image from wikipedia.org

Spirit of Christmas

2009-12-24T08:51:00.004+08:00

Christmas Spirit
by RLDignos

Rain may come in a hot summer day
Waves on a calm and lucid sea
Tears could fall even in revelry
And light would shine in a darkened realm
Just as Jesus, born on Christmas Day.

Jesus is the light of the Season,
a path that leads the way to salvation;
a promise fulfilled in God's dominion;
a truth that sets us free
from the chains of the evil's prisons

Hail to the Emmanuel
Sing praises and shout with glee
For our Savior has come for the banquet
Prepare the white robes and be worthy
To dine with the Spirit on Christmas Day!

Merry Christmas everyone from our family!

image taken from: http://www.fatbeats.com/

Christmas- a reminder of Faith

2009-12-18T19:41:00.003+08:00

'What is good with the spirit of Christmas when it is wrapped with lots of bad news and doubts around?' A priest, in his sermon asked the parishioners. The question echoed deep into my own spirit and a very clear answer is whispered back into my spiritual ear.

In the middle of all miseries, wars, famine, natural calamities, and other catastrophes the celebratrion of Christmas brings HOPE to every believers. The first coming of Jesus did bring some light in the middle of darkness. The Good News about the Kingdom which Jesus told every Christian faithfuls is relived and reinforced every season of lent. We are reminded by celebrating Christmas that the promise is yet to be fulfilled. And there's no way to relax because the battle is still going on. And only those who stay by His side who will reap the fruits of their labor.

When people questioned the real date and time of Christmas, they are looking into the event in a human perspective. For me the true date and season doesn't matter. It is the message that the celebration of the event is what we are after. Whether Christ is born in February or June or December I don't really care. The celebration reminds us that Jesus really came and gave us HOPE despite the troubles of life.

Accepting that this world is chaotic would lead us to think that life on Earth is really miserable. But believeing that Jesus came to show as the way, the truth, and life then we know that the burdern is light.

It's my birthday today

2009-12-11T08:37:00.005+08:00

Wow! I just become one more year older today and there are lots of things to be grateful of.

On top of the list is the gift of life the Lord provided me and the leading of the Holy Spirit not just on me but my entire family. Second is the community that is made instrument by God for the nurturing of my spiritual gifts, especially in letting me understand my role as a child of God. Next is my family, both my own and my siblings, who always understand my shortcomings not just as a father but as a person as well. My friends who are there to support just like real blood brothers and sisters do. To all these, I thank God.

Well, birthdays are times not just for thanksgiving but for wishes too! It's my wish that God continues to sustain all these blessings he gave me. For me, that's enough and I would not ask for more of the materials. My ultimate wish is the sustenance and strengthening of my faith and for God to use me more in spreading the Good News.

I think this is enough a birthday post. If you ask me how old I am, I think age doesn't matter. God Bless You all too!

image from http://petersondavis.files.wordpress.com/

Well written response against atheism

2009-12-02T10:41:00.006+08:00

I have found a well written response against the claims of atheists that there is no God and I gamble to re-post it here completely without changing a word because I believe on its message. With due respect to the authors Clyde and Dee, here is the full article:

In the Bible: "You shall have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:3).

On the Internet: "Believing there is no God means the suffering I've seen in my family, and indeed all the suffering in the world, isn't caused by an omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent force that isn't bothered to help or is just testing us, but rather something we all may be able to help others with in the future. No God means the possibility of less suffering in the future" (Penn Jilette, "There Is No God").

This excerpt encapsulates the way many around the world view the God of the Bible: an all-knowing, all-present, all-powerful being who either doesn't care about His creation or who wantonly subjects it to cruelty. Such a being, many atheists conclude, could not exist.

To their credit, they are right. No such God exists. What Penn Jilette—and countless others across the globe—doesn't understand is that all the suffering in this world is in fact caused by a near-universal rejection of the true God and His commandments. God did not turn His back on us; rather, we as a world have turned our back on God.

God promises, "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14). Suffering will end only when humanity learns to place God first in their lives. Won't it be great when the First Commandment is finally kept?

http://www.thisistheway.org/ of the United Church of God

Did you miss something?

2009-11-29T10:59:00.000+08:00

We have been struggling for almost two months now without having water flowing in our faucets. I really find it hard to lose this valuable part of our daily living. Without water we can't have a bathe, we can't cook, we can't do a lot of stuffs in the home.

Under such circumstance I asked myself "How much more if God wouldn't be around in our homes?" Sadly though many people survived without having to call or think of God and even lived in even more comfortable lives than religious ones. But Jesus spoke of a place out of the current physical world that awaits those who believe in Him. We may not experience the comforts of the physical world but He promised us a Godly comfort in the next world. That is what Christian believers are fighting for. As believers, we should hold on to our faith until for having faith until death is the ultimate triumph of this race for true LIFE.

Going back to my predicament, the local water district informed me there must be something wrong with the distribution line and they need to check them. To lighten my load, I was glad a neighbor allowed us to get water from their own line. Reflecting again on this situation I felt really, in cases when others are down with their faith, a community is always there to bring you up to support you to remind you that God counts every believer a valuable asset of His Kingdom. And we faithfuls should not forget that.

"There is no such thing as a Lone Ranger Christian," I got it from a brother in faith. And I believe it, for a Christian life is meant to be lived as a community. When the "water" ceases to flow in my "faucet" I know there are "neighbors" who are willing to share. That is what Christian community should be.

Hail to the King

2009-11-23T10:39:00.003+08:00

I was astonished to find that the Holy Spirit has reminded me of a really remarkable Sunday in the calendar of the Christians, Catholics in particular. November 22 is Christ the King Sunday, the last Sunday of Ordinary Time and the sign of the onset of another Advent.

Admittedly, because of so much work, I forgot about the day. It was during a neighborhood group meeting on Saturday, which we were not supposed to be a regular participant, that we are asked to get a single word from a line in the days Scriptural reading and share something to the group why we choose the words. With the dictates of the Spirit I have chosen the word "King."

The message I shared with the group revolves around the importance of having somebody rule our life greater that we are. I learned the experience of not having to succumb to the power of somebody higher than me, not even my parents, not even God. But I have experienced the difference too, of accepting that there is someone supreme than we are. I admit and prove, God is more than what we are, humans, even more than what think He is. He is King of all Kings indeed.

But unlike most of the Kings we knew, God is most humble of all for He stoop down, kneel, be nailed on the cross just to reach me, a sinner, just to pick me out of the dark and lead me back to His flock.

"Lord, forgive all my sins and count me back as worthy of your Kingdom."

On love, friendship, and good values

2009-11-14T10:06:00.000+08:00

You may never know what other people think and do and how they behave by just their name and their looks. You can never understand what are the motives of kind people in helping others even if they don't know them personally. But for me, kindness don't need reasons. It is anchored on the principles of love.

The Apostle Paul once wrote to the Corinthians saying "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing." (1 Corinthians 12:3). Helping outside the context of love for others is useless. Moral and social obligations could not be perfectly exercised unless a person feels the need to care for others, out of his love for others. "Teaching a man how to fish,"is an exercise of moral and social responsibility. But "giving man a fish" is an act of kindness bound with love that doesn't question all the other consequences. Many people would disagree this point yet it is one of the virtues, Jesus wanted to inculcate into those who wants to follow him.

Last June 27 I met a newfound friend for the first time, we had known each other through the net for several months. I haven't known him personally yet I have heard of his generosity. The challenge he brought into my life is tremendous since it promised a life changing situation, it proposes a new twist in the chapter of my career, it even threatens to rearrange the easy lifestyle and routine I had been used to, and furthermore it puts me into other predicaments in the aspects of physical, spiritual, and financial management. I don't want to talk about the details of the business proposal here for personal reasons.

Well, its no big deal! I can just choose to step out of the project and make myself comfortable again. Don't think about the career, the business, and the opportunity. But there is something within that pushes me to continue - that is the social and moral obligations anchored on love for others. I felt this pressure from the thought of Sir Art, the man I met recently. I firmly believe that if I may not be able to do my task, this man is really bound to pursue his plans with or without me. I salute him for his generosity, kindness, and love for others.

Today is Friday the 13th

2009-11-13T08:12:00.004+08:00

Today is Friday the 13th. But what's in the date?

Many people associate the date to bad luck. Among the many explanations is that 13 is considered an unlucky number and Friday is unlucky day. Combining both compounds the bad things. There are no legitimate accepted origin however yet the fear is always there.

I myself usually don't believe on myth but I developed a sort of paraskevidekatriaphobia, or the fear of Friday the 13th, because some major accidents in my life happened in a Friday the 13th. Our boarding house in college was hit by lightning on a Friday the 13th. I had my first bus accident on a Friday the 13th. In one of my trips going to work the public utility bus I was riding lost its brakes in a sharp curve and rolled over where many were injured. My wife, who was supposed to have a normal delivery got a Caesarean section for our third child on a Friday the 13th.

My explanation for this is that when people's mind whose negative vibrations merge during this particular day, it could create a negative energy that would result to unwanted events. That's why it is necessary to forget the idea and focus on the regular and normal flow of works. If in case you remember the fear, just counter it with positive thinking and prayers.

God always listens so let your fears go, and pray.

Home landscaping

2009-11-11T10:24:00.002+08:00

A good home landscape brings a lot of great advantage to the owner both value and comfort. But to those with smaller lot area and low budget the major reason for doing a home landscaping is for pleasure and health reasons

Although landscaping is a luxury to the family whose meager income is just enough for food expenses, the need for a sound environment cannot be underemphasized too. By sound environment I mean a well organized surrounding landscaped with the least expenditures. There are several necessary components in a home landcape the serves the purpose. Among which are plants.

Plants are essential in a home garden. Having beautification around your home does not necessarily require high cost if you are resourceful. In the rural place like ours, a small cutting of your favorite plants can be sourced out for free from friends and neighbors. You can recycle cans and plastic containers as plant vases. The ultimate goal here is to have plants around you that gives off oxygen that you need and consume the carbon dioxide that you emit.

For those having high budget, good looking plants are available in many local suppliers. But remember to consider your priorities and design in selecting the type of plants. In the end it is not the value of the landscape that matters but the functionality and improvement in the life of the dwellers.

Sound environment: healthy home

2009-11-10T08:24:00.005+08:00

We are aware that our health is pretty much affected by our environment. The rise of many diseases today are environmentally induced. Because of this it is a necessity that we protect the surrounding we live in. Much more, we have equal concern to protect our own collective home -The Earth. Adults and children must be aware of our role. We must know how much we can contribute to saving our world from the the dreaded effects and climate changes.

I appreciate so much the rise of many cause oriented groups advocating on environmental protection. And I am even more fascinated and my enthusiasm fueled when I saw this video about how a group of 12 to 13 year olds manifests their concern about the need to act on environmental protection.

Please watch the video

Banana Peanut Blend

2009-11-09T08:53:00.003+08:00

Banana Powder Preparations:

Wash mature bananas (saba variety), unpeeled.
Steam in medium fire for 25 minutes
Peel the cooked bananas.
Slice into thin chips.
Spread on tray lined with nylon screen and cover with another nylon screen.
Sun dry until brittle.
Grind the chips using a blended

Peanut powder preparations

Prepare nuts free from spoils and foreign materials
Toast peanut in oven at 150 deg. Celsius for 45 minutes.
Cool then remove seed coat.
Grind into grits using electric blender.

To obtain the blend, mix equal amounts of banana powder and peanut powder and use in your food preparations.

Source: FNRI

Clikki's 18th b-day coming up

2009-11-04T07:46:00.004+08:00

It's family time again and I am as excited as my daughter, Erika Claudia "Clikki," as she will turn 18 this November 8th. We may not have the treasures and material wealth but we have a lot of great friends and family to cherish and besides, life is really worth celebrating for. It's the greatest treasure we have.

18th birthdays for the girls are so memorable that it marks the turning point of their lives. It is the transition point to becoming a woman, independent, and becoming responsible.

The celebration would be simple with peers, her classmates, friends, and the Youth for Family and Life ministry with which she is an active member. Snacks would be served too.

For my part, I would be expected to give 9 revelations about my firstborn, and my wife would deliver another 9 to make the significant figure=18. Well, let's see what can I have. I promise I would them here. For now, wish my child a happy b-day! By the way, she loves blue

Thank you all.

Banana and Nut Pancake

2009-11-02T08:52:00.000+08:00

Banana-Nut Pancake

Ingredients:
1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
1/4 tsp Salt, iodized, fine
1/4 cup Sugar, white, refined
2 tsp Baking powder
3/4 cup Banana-peanut blend
3/4 cup Milk, evaporated
1 pc egg
1 tsp Vanilla
1 Tbsp Cooking oil, for greasing

Procedure

Mix well flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, and banana-peanut blend. Set aside.
Beat egg then add milk and vanilla. Blend well.
Pour the dry ingredients in the milk mixture and blend well to make a smooth batter. Pass through a strainer.
Drop 1/4 cup of the mixture in a heated and slightly greased shallow pan or griddle.
Fry until slightly brown on both sides.

Yields 6 pieces at 10 grams per piece. Serving size is 1 piece

Estimated content per serving: 230kcal Energy, 6.5g Protein

PS: If banana-peanut blend is not available in your area, we will be sharing next issue the process of preparing it

Source: FNRI-DOST

Searching for valuable information

2009-11-01T12:25:00.000+08:00

Researching for information is one crucial factor in the conduct of actual preparation of research papers and even design, development, and conduct of actual experimental research.

The internet had been my friendly companion in the search for information. I have noticed though that related research articles in the net are sold and accessed with minimal costs. They are hosted in different sites, library and information sites that require registration with a reasonable cost. Information via this means are highly reliable because they are peer reviewed and are published by recognized institutions.

However, I have used a technique to search for valuable articles in the internet by adding the letter pdf when I search in any search engines, google, yahoo, or other pdf search engine. The techniques would yield free complete articles in downloadable forms.

Why not try it yourself?

Termite control

2009-10-28T08:36:00.004+08:00

As I was cleaning the backyard and trying to get rid of small wood cuts, waste from house construction, I noticed a huge colony of white insects feasting around. Termites! I was horrified.

One of common problems in houses build with wooden materials is termite attack. And this simple problem should not be taken for granted since it could lead to greater problems in the future. Reports even show that termites cause billions of dollars of damages to properties every year.

Termites are small insects that belongs to the family of the ants, bees, wasps, and the likes. They usually eat dead plant materials like woods, leaves, twigs, and other forms. Their colonies usually reach to thousand individuals the reason why they are so destructive and even considered as pests.

Control of these insects however have been studied and there are available remedies to counter the threats they pose on homeowners. A lot of sites discussed comprehensively about termites and I found one in killthetermites.com. I would not discuss the details here. You may refer to these sites for more information.

Going back to my predicament, I started to gather the rotten woods and dump them about 20 meters from the building line to prevent the colonies from moving into our walls. Although the lower part of the house are all concrete, there are wooden parts in the upper portion like the ceiling and trusses.

For now, the termite colonies maybe happy with their food in the dump site. But soon they will move to find new source of food and I guess by that time I should have employed termite control measures around the house.

Medical Myths

2009-10-27T07:57:00.002+08:00

Today is Health and Family Tuesday and I will be talking about medical myth.

Are medical myths really based on ignorance of the rural people or they are based on some experiences, which, if really examined carefully would be proven true in some cases. I am talking about the local beliefs such as: sleeping on wet hair causes blindness, a fall can lead to fever; running just after eating may cause appendicitis, and many more.

In one article published in local health magazine, Dr. Antonio Protacio, a fellow of the American, French and Philippine Colleges of Chest Physicians, dismisses outrightly those myths as false, without considering that there might be some truth in it. Let us not discount the fact that before advance medicines developed, people rely on traditional medical practices that really worked. Today, many recognized that acupuncture, herbal medicines, and physical therapy are actually helpful.

Now, let’s consider some particular case. A fall per se may not cause fever but viral infection. But a fall that causes fracture may lead to a complication that causes fever. On this case, the fall is the culprit and the myth is true. Running after eating may increase the chances of having unwanted stomach tensions and illnesses. Well, I don’t believe that the myth points specifically to appendicitis, because there was no way the old fashioned folks know the disease before. Nevertheless, it is highly probable especially depending on the type of food eaten prior to the action.

I am not touching on this issue for argumentations sake. My point here is these myths, if taken seriously could be of help in preventing the occurrence of common illness and in diagnosing minor illness. For the rural folks that lack the funds and limited accessibility to advance medicines, these myths are helpful than doing nothing at all.

Coming back fresh

2009-10-26T08:39:00.001+08:00

Hello friends!

Home of goods ideas is back in circulation again. We have resolved some technical issues by now. And as we have returned I am glad to announce that our ideas have expanded to a wider coverage to make this site more relevant to its visitors.

This time we will be sharing more information in addition to religious topics and commentaries. From time to time we will be sharing information relevant to home and lifestyle with a Filipino touch. As much as practicable we will focus on the following daily topics:

Monday - Cooking ideas (recipes and others)
Tuesday - Family and Health issues
Wednesday - Home improvements (the physical side)
Thursday - Life experiences (stories of Christian experiences)
Friday - Whatever comes
Saturday and Sunday - Gospels

We also invite your suggestions for any relevant topics and prayer and counseling requests.

Thank you.

Notice to Readers

2009-10-22T15:18:00.001+08:00

We are currently having some technical problems with the site and we are doing maintenance works to make the site accessible again. Thanks for bearing with us.

The Real Joy

2009-10-21T15:00:00.000+08:00

, vaklJohn and Simon are friends because they are neighbors. Even though they are raised in the same community, lifestyles separate one from the other.

One night, coming from a party some distance from home, John and Simon drove together in John's car. Unfortunately John was drunk and lost control of the wheels as they approached a curved side of the road and they rammed crushing into a brick wall.

Instantly, John woke up and realized he was walking with Simon.

"Are we dead?" He asked Simon with melancholy in his voice.

"I suppose we are" was his quick reply. He sounded like an angel, with no tint of worries in his voice.

John panicked upon knowing death. He must be going to hell then. John is an easy-go-lucky guy. Women were like a piece of garment for him, he changes as he wishes. Gambling, wines, and other vices are his pastimes. He felt an overwhelming joy once he indulges of these things. He can afford it anyway with stable job and rich parents. But despite all the vices, he maintained his good social standing. No criminal records whatsoever. In short, he is a good man. His being a man of the world made him think he qualified for "hell".

But he was surprised further realizing he was with his religious friend. "But, why are we together?" He asked.

"I don't understand either." Simon replied.

'It must have been a mistake if Simon is also in hell',John thought to himself.

Simon is a real good man in his own sense. No vices at all, with good job, with good parents as well. But the joy he experienced which he kept on telling John is about his life in a religious group. He felt great happiness when he solemnly bond with friends together in worship. He sensed fulfillment when singing praises to God, serving his brethren in blood and faith, joining other religious activities, and doing good things all the time.

"There's no heaven or hell after all!" John concluded.

Simon didn't understand too but whatever is true he was still happy to be with his longtime friend. He turned to John and said "If this is heaven then you are not a sinner. but if you are indeed a sinner Jesus must have saved you."

When a door of light opened ahead and an angel welcomed them, John was convinced they are in heaven. And it was confirmed when the angel said, "Welcome to Heaven."

When they entered the hall, all they can see are angels shouting and singing praises to someone setting on the throne. They were really joyful in what they are doing.

Excited, Simon rushed to join the signing and praising as he was used to it. His garments glowed like the angels.

But John was left behind feeling alienated. Then the angel approached him and said. "Why not join with your friend?"

With a shame in his voice he said, "I don't feel comfortable here. Besides, I don't understand what they are singing and how they do it."

"My friend, what do you enjoy to do?" The angel asked.

"I love wines, girls, gambling, and others." He replied.

The angel smiled and said, "but there's no place in heaven like that."

"I am not worthy to be here, therefore". Simon answered sadly.

"But of course you are. Jesus' blood has redeemed every sinners on earth", the angel explained.

"But why I am still sad?" he asked.

"Joy is your own choice. You are indeed in heaven but you are bound and haunted by how you created joy in your heart. When you are on earth you immersed yourself to the joy the temporal world can offer. You never bothered to practice the joy that your Savior has told you that will last forever in heaven. Now that you are here you could not maximize the joy of heaven because your heart is used to the world. There's no hell for sinners, but the torment is you long for the things on earth and do not get them forever."

John's eyes were filled with tears as he watched his friend Simon enjoying every moment in his new abode.

In desperation, he rushed to the place where the door opened and closed behind them. Then the heavenly light broke out and was replaced by electrical lights.

John's eyes wandered and he found himself lying in the ICU.

As he rolled himself to his side he asked the nurse, "where is my friend?"

"He didn't make it sir." The nurse replied sadly.

Thinking of what he just experienced he whispered. "No, you are wrong... He made it home joyfully!"

The aftermath of a disaster

2009-10-16T08:43:00.005+08:00

For so many times I told my children that a country like ours will always remain what we have been. Proof is, we have never become what we dreamed centuries back. This, despite having brilliant people, within our race in the field of arts, sciences, whichever.

I am touching on this particular issue as I have read part of the day's Gospel. It reads, "Woe to you lawyers, for you have taken away the key of knowledge: you yourselves have not entered in, and those that were entering in, you have hindered" (Luke 11:54). You may wonder what is the connections. It came into my little thinking that after all the people who laid the foundation for development or planned the track to prosperity in our country is not leading us there. I had been part of many government plannings and development sessions and I have noticed that unless the local leaders (particularly elected ones) would gain personal benefits from it (money, fame, and power alike) the support is superficial and worse, just a show.

Many times we asses our failures after a disaster. We begin to build solutions or preparations. But the programs, projects, and activities the government is implementing is not what is most cost effective and urgent, but what a local or national government leader can have.

During a recent forum on disasters from climate change, our resource person pointed out that our country could not change the fact that we are in the "Ring of Fire." What we can change is how we deal with the hazards of our location. Unless our leaders listen and act with patriotic and heroic sense, setting aside huge personal gains and interests, we will not be safe.

For this reason, a poor Filipino has no other ally by God.

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