A friend asked me recently, "What if I save some money to visit her and tell her how I feel?" I answered, "What's the point? She has a boyfriend and they have been together for quite some time now."
Call me a dream killer but allow me to defend myself on the argument. I do feel his need to express his feelings or he will forever have his "what ifs". But freedom of expression is not absolute, as my mass media law professor used to say. My friend had all the right to say what he feels, that I agree. But is this enough reason for him to actually do something? There is just a part of me that cannot find justice to the consequence his actions may be to the girl (who is a friend and a sister in faith), much more to her boyfriend.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
ministry video
Thought of sharing a little something I did for the church when my mom requested for a presentation on the church ministries.
Music: Grace Flows Down - Passion: One Day Live (2000)
Photo credits: dad and Angela
Dance: Tina
Music: Grace Flows Down - Passion: One Day Live (2000)
Photo credits: dad and Angela
Dance: Tina
Friday, July 22, 2011
asking God why
"Di ba sabi sayo ni God kayo? Bakit nangyari sayo 'to?"
(Didn't God tell you, you were going to be together? Why did this happen to you?)
I remember my best friend telling me that a few months ago. She, who recently declared that she no longer believes in religion or God, cares so much for me that I'm sure she did not state those words to offend God or my religion. It was an honest observation. Too honest in fact that I dreaded the day she will be saying this to my face.
But she did anyway. She had to. It was her being my friend. And this is also why I have always doubted telling her that the only reason I held on to him despite our complicated and seemingly unfair situation was that God wanted me to. She always had doubts with religion but she never questioned me for what I believed in.
(Didn't God tell you, you were going to be together? Why did this happen to you?)
I remember my best friend telling me that a few months ago. She, who recently declared that she no longer believes in religion or God, cares so much for me that I'm sure she did not state those words to offend God or my religion. It was an honest observation. Too honest in fact that I dreaded the day she will be saying this to my face.
But she did anyway. She had to. It was her being my friend. And this is also why I have always doubted telling her that the only reason I held on to him despite our complicated and seemingly unfair situation was that God wanted me to. She always had doubts with religion but she never questioned me for what I believed in.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Reepicheep and parables of treasures
Will You visit us in our world?
I shall be watching you always.
How?
In your world, I have another name. You must learn to know me by it. That was the very reason you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing Me here for little, you may know Me better there.
I was reading my Bible last Sunday and came across two particular parables. The Parable of the Hidden Treasure (Matthew 13:44) and Parable of the Pearl of Great Price (Matthew 13:45-46) both talked about men finding great treasures. In order to possess these treasures, they had to make the sacrifice of selling all they have just to purchase these treasures.-Lucy to Aslan, Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Monday, July 18, 2011
Evan dances with God
My brother wanted to borrow my Lord of the Rings DVD a few days ago. As I was looking through my closet, I came across a long-forgotten movie I had enjoyed a few years ago.
Sequel to the 2003 film Bruce Almighty, Evan Almighty is a comedy film released in 2007. Newly elected to the Congress, Evan Baxter (played by Steve Carell) on the eve of his first day in the job prayed that God will help him "change the world". He eventually found himself being tasked by God (played by Morgan Freeman) to build an ark as flood will come on Sept. 22. Mocked by others, Baxter eventually found himself saving animals and residents of his village from a flood when the dam broke because of its poor design and construction.
The script here is simply great. There were jokes that showed analogies from the Bible. Only a man with great understanding of Christ and the Bible could pull off such lines!
As I was watching the film again, I found myself teary-eyed towards the end of the movie. Everything turned out well for Evan. He may have looked stupid and weird but he still did it. As he was on a hiking trip with his family, God showed Himself to him:
Sequel to the 2003 film Bruce Almighty, Evan Almighty is a comedy film released in 2007. Newly elected to the Congress, Evan Baxter (played by Steve Carell) on the eve of his first day in the job prayed that God will help him "change the world". He eventually found himself being tasked by God (played by Morgan Freeman) to build an ark as flood will come on Sept. 22. Mocked by others, Baxter eventually found himself saving animals and residents of his village from a flood when the dam broke because of its poor design and construction.
The script here is simply great. There were jokes that showed analogies from the Bible. Only a man with great understanding of Christ and the Bible could pull off such lines!
As I was watching the film again, I found myself teary-eyed towards the end of the movie. Everything turned out well for Evan. He may have looked stupid and weird but he still did it. As he was on a hiking trip with his family, God showed Himself to him:
Sunday, July 17, 2011
marriages, babies and census
I was reading news from Yahoo! Philippines and I came across an article fed by wires agency Agence France Presse. The report, "Marriage going out of fashion in Philippines", used the recently released 2008 census from the National Statistics Office to point out that getting married is no longer as big of a deal as it was years ago.
According to the census, 1,784,316 live births were registered in the country in 2008, of which 37.5 percent were born out of wedlock. Meanwhile, a total of 486,514 marriages were registered the same year (press release here). Of the cases, 41 percent were celebrated through civil rites and 36.3 percent were commenced in Catholic churches (press release here).
NSO's release on live births also included statistics on teenage mothers. A total of 186,527 babies were born to teenage mothers, a 7.64 percent increase from 2007. This figure side by side the number of illegitimate babies born in 2008 may also show the lack of knowledge and the problem with education.
If NSO has provided the trend by age, we may be able to provide more analysis.
Allow me to say, I am proud that we may be the only country who does not allow divorce. Of course, there are biblical perspectives as to why divorce should not be an option but I am more concerned with the mindset divorce policies encourage. But I am for the inclusion of sex education in classroom discussion. And the way the article has made the connection between marriage statistics and the divorce bill was not clearly woven out.
According to the census, 1,784,316 live births were registered in the country in 2008, of which 37.5 percent were born out of wedlock. Meanwhile, a total of 486,514 marriages were registered the same year (press release here). Of the cases, 41 percent were celebrated through civil rites and 36.3 percent were commenced in Catholic churches (press release here).
A growing number of Filipinos now treat marriage as an option, rather than a requirement, for starting families, said Nene Baligad, a member of a unit of the National Statistics Office that licenses people who officiate weddings.
"Nowadays, some couples just live in and only get married after having four or five children," she told AFP.
"You can't really say it's for practical reasons, since you can be married on the cheap. It's more like, we Filipinos tend to follow what is in fashion."What the article failed to argue however, is that a decrease in registered marriages does not necessarily mean couples more often opted to living together instead of actually getting married.
NSO's release on live births also included statistics on teenage mothers. A total of 186,527 babies were born to teenage mothers, a 7.64 percent increase from 2007. This figure side by side the number of illegitimate babies born in 2008 may also show the lack of knowledge and the problem with education.
If NSO has provided the trend by age, we may be able to provide more analysis.
Allow me to say, I am proud that we may be the only country who does not allow divorce. Of course, there are biblical perspectives as to why divorce should not be an option but I am more concerned with the mindset divorce policies encourage. But I am for the inclusion of sex education in classroom discussion. And the way the article has made the connection between marriage statistics and the divorce bill was not clearly woven out.
Friday, July 15, 2011
The Redeemer
from the album Pieces of a Real Heart
performed by Sanctus Real
Sometimes I just want to start over
Cause everything looks like a wreck
And I need the courage to carry on
Cause I can't see what's ahead
And there are places I've wished I could be
Battles I've wanted to win
Dreams that have slipped through my hands
I may never get back again
But I'm still a dreamer, a believer
I've lost my faith in so many things
But I still believe in You
Cause You can make anything new
Sometimes I just wish we could say
All the things that are easy to hear
Ignore the injustice we see
And explain every unanswered prayer
But I'd rather speak honestly
And wear a tattered heart on my sleeve
Cause in the middle of my broken dreams
Redemption is here
I don't have every answer in life
But I'm trusting You one day at a time
Cause You can make a weak heart stay alive forever
This is where Heaven and Earth collide
I lift my hands and give my life
This is how my weary heart stays alive
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