Lessons from A Tavern

Mga kapatid,

Kaya siguro ganun na lang katindi ang appeal ng inuman sa mga Pilipinong lalaki ay baka dahil sa nadiskubre ni kapatid Chuck Swindoll. What do you think?

Nathan

Chuck Swindoll writes...

An old Marine Corps buddy of mine, to my pleasant surprise, came to know Christ after he was discharged. I say surprise because he cursed loudly, fought hard, chased women, drank heavily, loved war and weapons, and hated chapel services.

A number of months ago, I ran into this fellow, and after we'd talked awhile, he put his hand on my shoulder and said, "You know, Chuck, the only thing I still miss is that old fellowship I used to have with all the guys down at the tavern. I remember how we used to sit around and let our hair down. I can't find anything like that for Christians. I no longer have a place to admit my faults and talk about my battles—where somebody won't preach at me and frown and quote me a verse."

It wasn't one month later that in my reading I came across this profound paragraph: "The neighborhood bar is possibly the best counterfeit that there is to the fellowship Christ wants to give his church. It's an imitation, dispensing liquor instead of grace, escape rather than reality—but it is a permissive, accepting, and inclusive fellowship. It is unshockable. It is democratic. You can tell people secrets, and they usually don't tell others or even want to. The bar flourishes not because most people are alcoholics, but because God has put into the human heart the desire to know and be known, to love and be loved, and so many seek a counterfeit at the price of a few beers. With all my heart," this writer concludes, "I believe that Christ wants his church to be unshockable, a fellowship where people can come in and say, 'I'm sunk, I'm beat, I've had it.' Alcoholics Anonymous has this quality—our churches too often miss it."

Now before you take up arms to shoot some wag that would compare your church to the corner bar, stop and ask yourself some tough questions, like I had to do. Make a list of some possible embarrassing situations people may not know how to handle.

Your mate talks about separation or divorce. To whom do you tell it?

Your daughter is pregnant and she's run away—for the third time. She's no longer listening to you. Who do you tell that to?

You lost your job, and it was your fault. You blew it, so there's shame mixed with unemployment. Who do you tell that to?

Financially, you were unwise, and you're in deep trouble. Or a man's wife is an alcoholic. Or something as horrible as getting back the biopsy from the surgeon, and it reveals cancer, and the prognosis isn't good. Or you had an emotional breakdown. To whom do you tell it?

We're the only outfit I know that shoots its wounded. We can become the most severe, condemning, judgmental, guilt-giving people on the face of planet Earth, and we claim it's in the name of Jesus Christ. And all the while, we don't even know we're doing it.

That's the pathetic part of it all.

-- Charles Swindoll, Leadership, Vol. 4, no. 1.

Isang Panawagan

The following is my version of an email forwarded to me:

Ako ay isang middle class Pinoy, isang editor sa isang di-kalakihang publisher at may asawa...apat na anak. Di na importante pangalan ko kasi parepareho naman tayong mga middle-class....trabaho 9-5, meryenda fishball tapos uwi sa pamilya sa dasma, cavite, laruin si misis, kamustahin si JJ, JoyJoy, Jojo, at Jed, nood tv konti, tapos tulog na. pag wala na pera intay na lang ng sweldo.

Sa nangyayari ngayon sa ating bansa, lahat na lang ng sector ay maingay at naririnig, tayo lang mga middle-class, tax paying at productive Pinoys ang di naririnig. Subalit, buwis natin ang nagpapaikot sa bansang ito. Pag may mga gulo na nangyayari, tayo ang tinatamaan. Kaya eto ang liham ko sa lahat ng maiingay na sector na sana makagising sa inyong bulag na pag-iisip.

Sa Mga Politiko:

Diyos ko naman, sa dami na nang nakurakot ninyo di na ba kayo makuntento? kelangan nyo pa ba manggulo?

Sa Administrasyon:

Hayan ayus na ha pinatawad na namin ang pandaraya nyo sa eleksyon, pruweba dito e di kami umaatend sa mga panawagan ng people power,

kaya sana naman gantihan nyo kami ng magandang serbisyo at magaling na pamumuno at malaking bawas sa kurakot naman please para kahit papano maramdaman naman namin na may napupuntahan ang binabayad naming buwis.

Sa Oposisyon:

Di nyo pa ba nakikita na dalawang klase lang ng tao ang nakikinig sa inyo....

isa ay bayaran na mahihirap kungdi man ay tangang mga excited na reporter na parang naka-shabu lagi....mga praning e at naghahallucinate. Bago man lang kayo maglunsad ng kilos laban sa administrasyon, pumili muna kayo ng magiting at nararapat na ipapalit sa liderato ngayon. Hirap sa inyo paresign kayo ng paresign wala naman kayo ipapalit na maayos. Advise lang galing sa isang middle-class na syang tunay na puwersa sa likod ng lahat ng matagumpay na People Power, magpakita muna kayo ng galing bago nyo batuhin ang administrasyon. Wala na kaming narinig sa inyo kundi reklamo, e wala naman kayong ginagawa kundi magreklamo....para kayong batang lagi na lang naaagawan ng laruan.....GROW UP naman...sa isip sa salita at sa gawa.

Please lang gasgas na rin ang pagrarally nyo na katabi nyo ay mga bayaran na mahihirap, magtayo nalang kayo ng negosyo at iempleyo ang mga rallyista para maging productive silang mamamayan. Sige nga, pag nagrarally kayo yakapin nyo nga at halikan yang mga kasama nyong nagrarally!! Nung People Power namin nagyayakapan kami lahat nuon. Wala naman mangyayari sa mga rally nyo nakakatraffic lang, kami pang middle-class ang napeperwisyo. Di nyo kayang paghintayin ng 3 araw ang mga rallyista nyo kasi kelangan nyo pakainin at swelduhan ang mga yan. Kung gusto nyo tagumpay na People Power kami ang isama nyo....pero pagod na kami e, sori ha.

Sa Military:

Alam nyo lahat tayo may problema, pati US Army may problema, 2,000 plus na patay sa kanila sa Iraq na parang walang rason naman, pero nakita nyo ba sila nagreklamo? Wala diba kasi professional sila na sundalo.....

yan dapat ang sundalo di nagtatanong sumusunod lang. Kasi may mga bagay na di kayang maintindihan ng indibidwal lamang, at ang mga nakatataas lang angnakakaintindi ng kabuuan, kaya ito ang panuntunan ng lahat ng military ng lahat ng bansa. Pero parang military natin yata ang pinaka-mareklamo. Sabi nga sa Spiderman "with great power comes great responsibility"..... kaya maging spiderman kayo lahat at protektahan ang mamamayan. Sa totoo lang natatakot kami kapag nagrereklamo kayo, kasi may baril kayo at tangke, kami wala.

Wala ako comment sa mga mahihirap, di naman kasi sila maingay na kusa e, may bayad ang ingay nila. Saka wala rin naman silang email.

Kaya paano na tayong mga middle-class?? Eto hanggang email na lang tayo kaya ikalat nyo na ito at magdasal tayo na umabot ito sa mga dapat makabasa nito at makiliti naman ang kanilang mga konsyensya.

Signed,

Isang Middle-Class Pinoy na walang puknat na binabawasan ang sweldo ng Buwis!

Mensahe ng Isang Pugad

May isang ibon na naligaw sa paggawa ng pugad nya sa harap ng bahay namin sa Dasma Cavite. May tanim doon na isang bush, madahon din. Wala na siguro siyang mahanap na puno o type nya lang talaga sa amin kasi di namin binabato ang mga ibon. We like to see God's creatures. Anyway, akala ko nagkamali lang. Isang araw, may nag-appear na nesting material na medyo pabilog na ang porma sa singit ng maliit na branch. "O, bakit nandito ito?” “Sweetheart, tingnan mo may nest, o.”

“Oo nga, ano? Ang cute! Oy Jed, h’wag mong sirain!!!” Jed is our youngest.

“What a stupid bird,” sabi ko. Pero teka. Naalala ko yung sa Matt. 6 about the birds. Sabi doon,

6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry¹ about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing? 6:26 Look at the birds in the sky:² They do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds³ them. Aren’t you more valuable⁴ than they are? 6:27 And which of you by worrying can add even one hour to his life?⁵ (Matt. 6:25-27, NET Bible)

Siguro, in some mysterious way, pinadala ng Lord ang ibon to us tell us that he oversees the details of where that bird would set up her nest. Did she know we were kind people who would not harm the nest and the nestlings, kung sakali? No. Did she get permission from the village administrator just in case she violated the statement of limitations ng homeowners association? Nope. The nest is hidden, at hindi naman makikita kung di mo alam. Pwera na lang kung maingay siya.

And last night, meron nang isang egg. Mabubuhay kaya yon? Papaano lilimliman ng inahin? I don’t know. But God says he knows and he cares.

Thinking more about it, palagay ko there is a deeper meaning doon. Kasi, kung iisipin mo, saan hahantong ang ginagawa ng bird? Yung egg ba ay magha-hatch o maa-abort? Anong mangyayari sa nest? May relation kasi ito sa devotion namin sa office last Monday. May nag-share about legacy and the significance of what one is doing for God. Maganda kung ang ginagawa mo ay significant for the kingdom. Pero mas maganda kung naipasa mo sa ibang magpapatuloy ng vision na binigay ni Lord. Ang isa sa pinaka-poignant ay kung naipasa mo sa mga anak mo ang vision ni Lord. Ang struggle lang ng nag-share ay wala siyang anak na lalaki. He had always wanted a son to disciple and bring up in the Lord.

The following is a poem I lifted from a workbook on leadership we are studying at the office.

Just Suppose

by Phil Hodges from the book Lead Like Jesus: Beginning the Journey (published in the Philippines by Church Strengthening Ministry, with permission from Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2003), p. 135.

Just suppose, when I pray, there really is someone listening who cares about me and wants to know what's on my mind

Just suppose, when I pray, it changes me and my view of how the universe operates and who is involved

Just suppose, I put my doubts aside for a minute and consider the possibility that someone who knew me before I was born loves me, warts and all, without condition or reservation, no matter how badly I have behaved in the past.

Just suppose, a prayer was my first response instead of my last resort when facing a new challenge or an old temptation.

Just suppose, I lived each day, knowing that there is an inexhaustible supply of love for me to pass along to others.

Just suppose.

Notes:

1Or “do not be anxious,” and so throughout the rest of this paragraph.

2Grk “the birds of the sky” or “the birds of the heaven”; the Greek word ούρανός (ouranos) may be translated either “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The idiomatic expression “birds of the sky” refers to wild birds as opposed to domesticated fowl (cf. BDAG 809 s.v. πετεινόν).

3Or “God gives them food to eat.” L&N 23.6 has both “to provide food for” and “to give food to someone to eat.”

4Grk “of more value.”

5Or “a cubit to his height.” A cubit (πήχυς, phēcus") can measure length (normally about 45 cm or 18 inches) or time (a small unit, “hour” is usually used [BDAG 812 s.v.] although “day” has been suggested [L&N 67.151]). The term ήλικία (hēlikia) is ambiguous in the same way as πήχυς (phēcus). Most scholars take the term to describe age or length of life here, although a few refer it to bodily stature (see BDAG 436 s.v. 3 for discussion). Worry about length of life seems a more natural figure than worry about height. However, the point either way is clear: Worrying adds nothing to life span or height.

Sa Mata ni Tatay

The following is another translation from an article entitled "In Tatay's Eyes".

Pag tinitingnan kita, namimiss ko Tatay ko. Sana nagkaroon ka pa ng mas mahabang panahon na makapiling si Lolo mo. Marami ka sanang matututunan sa kanya. Hitik sa karanasan at kaunawaan ang kanyang buhay. Mula sa isang maliit na bayan sa tabi ng Pacific Ocean sa Surigao Del Sur, nakipagsapalaran siya upang sunggaban ang anumang maidudulot ng buhay. Madami siyang napuntahan, natikman, nasubukan, at naranasan. Paglipas ng 74 na taon, pinauwi na siya ng Diyos sa langit. Ikekwento ko sayo ang isa sa mga tinagubilin niyang ituro ko daw sayo noong ikaw ay ihandog sa Panginoon nang maliit ka pa.

Anak, napakagwapo mong bata. Pero hindi ikaw ang sentro ng buong universe. Kilig na kilig ang lahat ng pumuna sa malalalim mong dimples kapag ikaw ay nakangiti. Makinig ka. Espesyal ka talaga. Mula sa milyon-milyong semilya na nanggaling sa akin, mula sa isa ay nabuo ka kasama ng isang itlog mula sa nanay mo. Bunga ka ng aming pag-iibigan. Buhay ka ngayon dahil ikaw ang napili. Ibig sabihin, may layunin ang Diyos sa buhay mo. Alam kong ipapaunawa ito ng Diyos sa iyo nang malalim at malawak na paraan, kung magpapatuloy kang lumago sa pagkilala sa Kanya. Noong baby ka pa, tinititigan kita sa mata. Nakita ko, may talino ang mga tingin mo. Galing talaga ni LORD. Pero higit pa dyan, mas nakamamangha na gusto ni God na makilala mo siya nang lubusan.

May sasabihin ako: “Huwag mong ilagay ang tiwala mo sa nakikita ng ibang tao sa iyo.” Nakatataba ng puso kung maraming humahanga sayo, pero delikado ito sa pride mo. Sayang, hindi nakikita ng iba kung ano ang laman ng puso mo. Isa pa, lilipas din ang kanilang pagpansin sa iyo. Sinasabi ng Biblia, lumilipas ang kagandahan, kasimbilis ng singaw. Ngayon nandyan, sa isang iglap, wala na (Awit 39:5). Okay lang yan.

Naalala ko Lolo mo. Hindi siya kalakihan. In short, maliit siyang tao. Pwede rin sabihing pandak siya. Aniya, “Wala pang Star margarine noon, eh.” Pero sa loob, sa puso, higante ang Lolo mo. Alam mo kung bakit? Sa paglipas ng panahon ng kanyang mga naranasan, nabasa niya ang New Testament ng Biblia. Nadiskubre niya na mahalaga pala siya sa paningin ng Diyos. Napakahalaga niya dahil iyon ang tingin ng Diyos sa kanya. Gayun na lamang ang pagmamahal ng Diyos kaya't binigay niya ang Kanyang bugtong na Anak na mamatay sa krus para sa kanya.

Sa ganun ding paraan, mahal ka rin ng Diyos, anak. Ganyan din ang pagtingin ng Diyos sa ibang mga tao. Doon nanggaling ang kanilang kahalagahan. Kaya nga kailangang dakilain mo rin sila. Alalahanin mo ang mga katabi mo. Bigyan mo sila ng pansin—ang kanilang kailangan, ang minimithi nila, ang bumabagabag sa kanila. Matuto kang lampasan ang pagiging makasarili—“ako, sarili ko, akin.” Higit sa lahat, kailangan nilang malaman na mahal sila ng Diyos at nararamdaman ng Ama ang kanilang dinaramdam. Matutuwa ang Diyos kung ipakikilala mo ang pag-ibig Niya sa kanila. Ipakita mo. Sabihin mo.

Tunay na Lalaki

The following is a fairly accurate translation of an article I contributed for the book LEGACY (Makati: Church Strengthening Ministry, 2005) entitled "Be a Man". You can purchase a copy from the nearest National Bookstore or Powerbooks site.

Ano ba ang sukatan ng pagiging lalaki? May macho dyan, ganito ang sasabihin. May chicks naman, ganyan ang sasabihin. Sana naman, nakita mo sa akin ang isang mabuting example ng tunay na lalaki. Di ko alam kung sa tingin mo ay macho ako, dahil napansin mo siguro macho-norin ako. Itanong mo sa Nanay mo.

Pakinggan mo ang sinabi ni Tatay ko. Una, siyempre ang lalaki ay hindi babae. Male imbis na female. Obvious, di ba? Pero marami ngayon ang nalilito. Sabi ng DNA nila, lalaki sila. Sabi naman nila, feel nila maging babae. Sinigurado ng Lolo mo na malinaw ito sa akin nang tinanong ko siya kung bakit hindi ako pinanganak na babae—pitong taong gulang pa lang ako noon. Lalaki ako dahil ito ang design ni God para sa akin. Nakasulat sa DNA ko na XY ako—male species. Nasa plano daw ng Diyos na maging lalaki ako. Ganito rin ang plano niya para sa yo, mi hijo guapo, at mga brothers mo.

Pangalawa, hindi lagi na kung sino ang pinakamalaki, pinakamalakas, o pinakamaliksi ay siyang tunay na lalaki. Nang grumadweyt ako sa haiskul, ako yata ang pinakamaliit sa batch 1979. Kung pipila kami at mauuna ang pinakapandak, ako yun. Ang hirap palang pumorma sa mga dalaga kung hanggang kilikili lang ang tangkad mo. Mabuti na lamang at dinagdagan pa ni God nang ilang inches ang height ko para naman, at least, matitigan ko ang nanay mo nang mata sa mata.

Pag-isipan mo ito,

Isa pang bagay na napansin ko sa daigdig:
ang mabilis ay di siyang laging nananalo sa takbuhan
ni ang malakas ay laging nagwawagi sa digmaan.
Ang matatalino'y di laging nakasusumpong ng kanyang kailangan
at di lahat ng marunong ay yumayaman.
Napapansin ko rin na di lahat ng may kakayahan ay nagtatagumpay;
lahat ay dinaratnan ng malas. (Mangangaral 9:11, MBB)

Hindi laging ikaw ang llamado. Pero hindi rin porke dejado ay hindi ka na sasagana. Sa biyaya at katalinuhang galing sa Diyos, pwede kang yumabong kung saan ka inilagay ni God, ano man ang pagkakataong dadalaw sa iyo. Sumagana ka kung saan ka ilalagay ng Diyos. Ito ang panalangin ko para sayo.

Pangatlo, ang tunay na lalaki ay may tiwala sa kanyang pagkalalaki, ayon sa pagkalikha ng Diyos sa kanya. Di na kinakailangang patunayan niya ito kahit kanino. Ano ba yun? Siguro ganito: hindi na kailangan ng isang tunay na lalaki na magparami ng chicks. Ang babaero ay lalaking walang tiwala sa sarili. Parang may kulang sa kanya na kailangang punuan ng mga babae. Niloloko niya ang kanyang sarili. Walang makapupuno sa puwang na yun kundi ang Diyos lamang. Ang lalaking walang tiwala sa sarili ay takot na malaman ng iba kung sino talaga siya. Kaya, nag-iimbento siya ng mga kontest at palaro para makita kuno kung sino ang number 1. Ang tunay na lalaki ay di na kailangang magpataas ng ihi. Sa halip, mas pinagtutuunan niya ng pansin kung paano siya magiging biyaya sa mga nakapaligid sa kanya.

Ang pinakadakila sa lahat ay sinumang naglilingkod sa lahat. Ganyan si Jesu-Cristo. Baliktad sa mundo. Sinisikap kong gumaya kay Cristo, at inaasahan kong gagaya ka rin sa akin.

Magpakalalaki ka, anak.

Contact Story

Brenda was a young woman who was invited to go rock climbing. Although she was scared to death, she went with her group to a tremendous granite cliff.

In spite of her fear, she put on the gear, took a hold on the rope, and started up the face of that rock. Well, she got to a ledge where she could take a breather. As she was hanging on there, the safety rope snapped against Brenda's eye and knocked out her Contact lens. Well, here she is on a rock ledge, with hundreds of feet below Her and hundreds of feet above her. Of course, she looked and looked and looked, hoping it had landed on the ledge, but it just wasn't there.

Here she was, far from home, her sight now blurry. She was desperate and began to get upset, so she prayed to the Lord to help her to find it. When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens, but there was no contact lens to be found. She sat down, despondent, with the rest of the party, waiting for the rest of them to make it up the face of the cliff.

She looked out across range after range of mountains, thinking of that Bible verse that says, "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole Earth." She thought, "Lord, You can see all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me."

Finally, they walked down the trail to the bottom. At the bottom there was a new party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff. One of them shouted out, "Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?"

Well, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving slowly across the face of the rock, carrying it!

Brenda told me that her father is a cartoonist. When she told him the incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a picture of an ant lugging that contact lens with the words, "Lord, I don't know why you want me to carry this thing. I can't eat it, and it's awfully heavy. But if this is what you want me to do, I'll carry it for you."

I think it would probably do some of us good to occasionally say, "God, I don't know why you want me to carry this load. I can see no good in it and It's awfully heavy. But, if you want me to carry it, I will."

God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

The original source is the 1995 book Keep a Quiet Heart, by Elisabeth Elliot, where it appeared in a chapter entitled "Lost and Found." Ms. Elliot attributes the story to a first-person account sent to her by Brenda Foltz of Princeton, Minnesota, who maintained she wrote it based upon an event that occurred during her first rock-climbing experience.

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"We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems."
--John Gardner)

Memories

The following is a poem composed by Ms. Jona Tabago of Kingsland Village, Palapala, Dasmariñas, Cavite. I have edited it for brevity. Ayos ba?

Memories
Every story comes to an end;
Memories remain, always
for sad and happy moments─
laughters shared,
teardrops shed.
in our hearts they wait for quickening.
Instances of sharing, laughing, strengthening,
each recollection chasing one another;
For every promise planted,
a prayer of hope that it be granted.
See weakness, see helpless, let courage rise!
No matter the future distant, His answer comes in just an instant.
So now this end—is thus our destiny?
Catastrophe or comedy, we shall see.


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"Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength."
-- Corrie ten Boom, Dutch humanitarian (1892-1983)

Daygon ta si Jesus Ginoo!

And God said, "Sagot kita."

I'm going to dig into this one of these days. This has three points:

1. Nangako ako.
   
2. Sagot kita
   
3. Ang galing-galing ko!
   

   
   

Tatay and son

Lord, I find the genealogy of my
Savior strangely checkered with
four remarkable changes in four
generations.

Rehoboam begat Abia:
a bad father begat a bad son.
Abia begat Asa:
a bad father and a good son.
Asa begat Jehoshaphat:
a good father and a good son.
Jehoshaphat begat Joram:
a good father and a bad son.

I see, Lord, from hence,
that my father's piety cannot be
entailed;
that is bad news for me.
But I see also
that actual impiety is not
hereditary;
that is good news for my son.

-- Thomas Fuller (1608-1661)

Naghahabol sa Hangin

The following was forwarded to me by a colleague, Ms. Christine Caroline Santos, (naks!) from her friend Mike Co who forwarded it to her. I believe the piece speaks like Qoheleth, if you know what I mean. Food for thought…

Gising, Tol.

Tumatanda ka na, tol.

Nasa Friday Magic Madness na yung mga paborito mong kanta. Nakaka-relate ka na sa Classic MTV. Lesbiana na yung kinaaaliwan mong child star dati. Nanay na lagi ang role ng crush na crush mong matinee idol noon.

Dati, pag may panot, sisigaw ka agad ng “PENDONG!”. Ngayon, pag may sumisigaw nun, ikaw na yung napapraning. Parang botika na ang cabinet mo. May multivitamins, vitamin E, vitamin C, royal jelly, tsaka ginkgo biloba.

Dati, laging may inuman. Sa inuman, may lechon, sisig, kaldereta, inihaw na liempo, pusit, at kung anu-ano pa. Ngayon, nagkukumpulan na lang kayo ng mga kasama mo sa Starbucks at oorder ng tea.

Wala na ang mga kaibigan mo noon. Ang dating masasayang tawanan ng barkada sa canteen, napalitan na ng walang katapusang pagrereklamo tungkol sa kumpanya ninyo. Wala na ang best friend mo na lagi mong pinupuntahan kapag may problema ka. Ang lagi mo na lang kausap ngayon e ang kaopisina mong hindi ka sigurado kung binebenta ka sa iba pag nakatalikod ka. Ang hirap nang magtiwala.

Mahirap nang makahanap ng totoong kaibigan. Hindi mo kayang pagkatiwalaan ang kasama mo araw-araw sa opisina. Kung sabagay, nagkakilala lang kayo dahil gusto ninyong kumita ng pera at umakyat sa tinatawag nilang “corporate ladder”. Anumang pagkakaibigang umusbong galing sa pera at ambisyon ay hindi talaga totoong pagkakaibigan. Pera din at ambisyon ang sisira sa inyong dalawa.

Pera. Pera na ang nagpapatakbo ng buhay mo. Alipin ka na ng Meralco, PLDT, SkyCable, Globe, Smart, at Sun. Alipin ka ng Midnight Madness. Alipin ka ng tollgate sa expressway. Alipin ka ng credit card mo. Alipin ka ng ATM. Alipin ka ng BIR.

Dati-rati masaya ka na sa isang platong instant pancit canton. Ngayon, dapat may kasamang italian chicken ang fettucine alfredo mo. Masaya ka na noon pag nakakapag-ober-da-bakod kayo para makapagswimming. Ngayon, ayaw mong lumangoy kung hindi Boracay o Puerto Galera ang lugar. Dati, sulit na sulit na sa yo ang gin pomelo. Ngayon, pagkatapos ng ilang bote ng red wine, maghahanap ka ng San Mig Light o Vodka Cruiser.

Wala ka nang magawa. Sumasabay ang lifestyle mo sa income mo. Nagtataka ka kung bakit hindi ka pa rin nakakaipon kahit tumataas ang sweldo mo. Yung mga bagay na gusto mong bilhin dati na sinasabi mong hindi mo kailangan, abot-kamay mo na. Pero kahit nasa iyo na ang mga gusto mong bilhin, hindi ka pa rin makuntento.

Saan ka ba papunta?

Tol, gumising ka. Hindi ka nabuhay sa mundong ito para maging isa lang sa mga baterya ng mga machines sa Matrix. Hanapin mo ang dahilan kung bakit nilagay ka rito. Kung ang buhay mo ngayon ay uulit-ulit lang hanggang maging singkwenta anyos ka na, magsisisi ka. Lumingon ka kung paano ka nagsimula, isipin ang mga tao at mga bagay na nagpasaya sa yo. Balikan mo sila.

Ikaw ang nagbago, hindi ang mundo.

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"It is better to do one thing for God than to promise to do forty things you can't do."

Daygon ta si Jesus Ginoo!

SUPERPEOPLE

The following is taken from a email from Preaching.com. For you guys in leadership:

As you look ahead to the fall and possible administrative changes, feel free to consult this handy church leadership guide, with helpful job descriptions:

SENIOR PASTOR:
Leaps tall building in a single bound
Is more powerful than a locomotive
Is faster than a speeding bullet
Walks on water
Discusses policy with God

EXECUTIVE PASTOR:
Leaps short buildings in a single bound
Is more powerful than a switch engine
Is just as fast as a speeding bullet
Walks on water if the sea is calm
Talks with God

ASSOCIATE PASTOR:
Leaps short buildings with a running start and favorable winds
Is almost as powerful as a switch engine
Is faster than a speeding BB
Walks on water in an indoor swimming pool
Talks with God if special request is approved

MINISTER OF MUSIC:
Barely clears a Quonset hut
Loses tug-of-war with a locomotive
Can fire a speeding bullet
Swims well
Is occasionally addressed by God

CHRISTIAN ED DIRECTOR:
Makes high marks on the wall when trying to leap buildings
Is run over by locomotive
Can sometimes handle a gun without inflicting self-injury
Dog paddles
Talks to animals

YOUTH MINISTER:
Runs into buildings
Recognizes locomotive two out of three times
Is not issued ammunition
Can't stay afloat with a life preserver
Talks to walls

CHURCH SECRETARY:
Lifts buildings and walks under them
Kicks locomotives off the tracks
Catches speeding bullets in her teeth
Freezes water with a single glance
Is the closest being to God

Michael Duduit, Editor
michael@preaching.com
www.michaelduduit.com

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"Any fine morning, a power saw can fell a tree that took a thousand years to grow." -- Edwin Teale

Daygon ta si Jesus Ginoo!

http://kandila.blogspot.com/

Ama Namin

“The Ama Namin in the Doctrina Christiana of 1593 from the Perspective of Inculturation.” Dr. José M. De Mesa, Professor of Applied Systematic Theology, De La Salle University-Manila.

Doing theology from a Filipino cultural perspective is imperative if we are to develop our own understanding of Christianity. The largely forgotten text of the 1593 version of the Ama Namin provides especially useful insights for doing theology in the Filipino cultural context. Not only does it illustrate the positive values of the Filipino culture in general, it also shows the capability of the Filipino language to articulate the faith in particular.

ANG AMA NAMIN[1]

Ama namin na sa langit ca
ypasamba mo ang ngalan mo,
moui sa amin ang pagcahari mo.
Ypa sonod mo ang loob mo dito sa lupa parang sa langit,
bigyan mo cami ngaion nang amin cacanin, para nang sa araoarao,
at pacaualin mo ang aming casalanan,
ya iang uinaualan bahala namin sa loob
ang casalanan nang nagcasasala sa amin.
Houag mo caming aeun nang di cami matalo nang tocso.
Datapouat yadia mo cami sa dilan masama.
Amen, Jesus.

Source: “Doctrina Christiana”, Manila, 1593.
Contributed by Wolfgang Kuhl - E-mail: WKuhl44238@aol.com

My loose translation into English,

Our Father you are in heaven,
Make us worship your name,
Let your kingship come home to us,
Make us conform to your “loob” here on earth like in heaven
Give us today our rice[2], for everyday
And let go of our sin,
Like we consider as nothing in our “loob”
The sin of those who sin against us
Do not abandon us so temptation will not defeat us.
However set us free/protect us from the evil “diwa”.
Amen. Jesus.

Some concepts seeking attention are:

1.God’s actions in the prayer—ipasamba, ipasunod
2. The challenge for a response in those who pray
3. God’s kingdom or will in terms of “loob”
4. God’s kingdom “coming home” to us
5. The concept of physical needs using the metaphor of rice—kanin
6. The concept of forgiveness through an act going on in our “loob”
7. The plea not to be left alone—iwan
8. The idea of evil which uses “diwa”

Implications:

Based on the concepts enumerated above, there is a rich source of theology in the concepts and ideas of the Filipino culture. Our works should use these untapped concepts to articulate a Filipino theology. More to follow.

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[1] http://www.christusrex.org/www1/pater/JPN-tagalog-baybayin.html

[2] Rice is a good metaphor for our lives. We have terms like binhi, palay, bigas, sinaing, sinangag, lugaw, am, bahaw, biko, bibingka, suman, puto, etc. which correspond roughly to different life stages. In addition, eating rice connotes fellowship and celebration. Filipinos find the flimsiest of reasons to eat together.

In Tatay's Eyes

The following is a letter that I would imagine to send to each of my sons as they reach a certain age, di ko sure exactly.

I look at you and wish that you had more time with your Lolo, my Tatay. You would have learned much wisdom from him, for he led a full life. From an isolated Pacific seacoast little town in Surigao del Sur, he set out to discover and grab what life had in store for him. His years were full and rich and overflowing with experiences and adventures. After 74 years, God called him home to heaven. So, I'€™m going to tell you one of those things he told me to teach you at your dedication.

(The rest of this article can be seen in an upcoming book Legacy to be released by CSM Publishing on September 2005. Because of this, I regret to remove the article from this blog.) 6/28/2005

A Man in Tatay’s Eyes

What is a man? What is the measure of a man? Boys will tell you this, girls will tell you that. But what is a man? I sure hope I have shown you by example what a man is by this time. I’m no authority on being a macho, because I am macho-norin. Just ask your mother.

(This article will appear in the book Legacy that will come September 2005 by publisher CSM. In this regard, I have to remove this item from this blog.) 6/26/2005

Basbas 2005

Humayo kayo sa mundo.

Baunin ninyo and alaala ng kaunting panahon

ng pagpapanibago ng inyong mga kaluluwa

sa presensya ng Diyos at ng kanyang mga anak.

Baunin ninyo ang pagnanasang maging tapat kay Jesus

sa pamamagitan ng pagmamahal na ipadadama ninyo

sa inyong pamilya,

mga kaibigan,

at iba pang masasalubong ninyo

na mangangailangan nito.

Baunin ninyo ang tatag ng loob,

ng panindigang hindi susuko sa kasalanan.

At sa huli, baunin ninyo ang pananabik sa muling pagbabalik ni Jesus anumang oras.

Sa ngalan ng Ama, ng Anak, at ng Espiritu Santo, nawa’y pagpalain kayo.” AMEN

Another shot... 

The Montenegro's 

From left: Jojo, Joy2, JJ, Jed 

Caritas

*Christmas, Gifts*

In his December 19, 2002 column in World magazine, Marvin Olasky wrote: "The emphasis on material gifts at Christmas may make us think of Christianity as just one more exchange religion: You do something for a god, who will then do something for you. Roman pagans 2,000 years ago. . . understood liberalitas, giving to please a recipient who will at some point please you. The smart set in ancient Rome thought it was better to give than to receive, because by clever giving to wealthy friends they could receive even more later on and they applied the same concept theologically, offering sacrifices as investments.

"Christians, though, practiced caritas, help to the economically poor without expectation of anything in return. They did that to imitate Christ, who was unjustly abandoned, tortured and killed for the sake of all who believe in Him. They praised God's willingness to pour his grace over those who had done nothing to earn it.

"Christmas is about God's caritas. Jesus in the manger may seem cute, but the incarnation for God was actually an enormous comedown, like being born as a dog would be for us. (No, worse: a cockroach or beyond a different realm of being.) And yet, Christ showed caritas right to the last, by telling one of the thieves dying alongside Him that they would be together in paradise."


Hindi kaya some of us Christians preach giving like the Romans? Magbigay ka at ibabalik sa yo siksik, liglig, at umaapaw! Ayos, di ba? But the way to be motivated to give the caritas way is to reflect on God's giving.

Pwede ba Mag-tithe?

There was a question: Is it Biblical for a church to give a tithe of its income to an association or churches or convention?

I answered:

Two levels kasi ang tanong. First, the principle—tithing. Biblical ba ‘to? OF COURSE!!

Second, the application of the principle—can a body, such as a church, give a tithe to a bigger body to which it belongs? Why not? I don’t see anything that would tell the church not to do that. In addition, the church, by this act of giving, is forced to look outside of itself. To be other-centered, kumbaga. Di na siya parochial. I would like to hear more kung ano ang context ng tanong. Besides, kasama rin sa giving ang purpose nito.

Natz

To: Nathan Montenegro
Subject: Re: Tithing

This is the context. The church is in red. The church is giving 10% to the association + convention. Solution: Stop giving the 10% and use it for its own. (Sounds more unbiblical to me.)

Thanks kuya Natz.

On Fri, 10 Dec 2004 08:50:57 +0800, Natz wrote:

It seems to me that the issue goes back to the condition of “kulang na nga pera ko, magta-tithe pa ako.” This church does not have a unique problem. Lahat ng naghihirap, individual or family or church or institution, face the same inadequacy of resources. So, where does that leave us? Hindi na tayo magta-tithe kasi kulang bigay ni Lord?

“Hey Lord, you’re not doing a good job of providing for me, so I’ll take care of my needs first. Okay?”

Pwede ba yun sabihin? Baka tamaan ka ng kidlat.

Maraming factor bakit in-the-red ang isang church—legitimate or otherwise. However, the issue for the church to decide is, as part of the body of Christ, can it, as a body, decide to come to the Lord empty? In the OT, the poor were given an option of giving a dove for an offering. That’s why after Jesus was born, Joseph and Mary offered in the Temple the poor man’s offering for the Cleansing ceremony. Poor sila, di ba? But they could not come empty-handed. Pero, in view of what they receive—the Son of God—ano ba naman yung dove? Their hearts were overflowing with gratitude.

If this church begrudges God his tithe, mas mabuti ciguro they should reexamine their attitude on giving. Incidental lang kung saan pupunta ang tithe nila—association or convention. What they cannot not do is give the Lord’s tithe. It’s not their money, isn’t it? Gratitude finds ways and means. Ingratitude finds excuses.