God our Protector (Psalms 91)

In our daily family morning prayer, we recite the following bible passages taken from the whole chapter of Psalms 91. We feel and we believe that it really works. God is true to His promises: He protects and defends us wherever we go. He sends angels to guide us. Let's put our trust in Him as we recite these passages. Let's pray it daily as we start each day.

Whoever goes to the Lord for safety, 
whoever remains under the protection of the Almighty, can say to him,
 "You are my defender and protector. You are my God; in you I trust."
He will keep you safe from all hidden dangers and from all deadly diseases. 
He will cover you with his wings, you will be safe in his care; his faithfulness will protect and defend you.
You need not fear any dangers at night or sudden attacks during the day 
or the plagues that strike in the dark or the evils that kill in daylight.
A thousand may fall dead beside you, ten thousand all around you, but you will not be harmed.
You will look and see how the wicked are punished.
You have made the Lord your defender , the Most High your protector, 
and so no disaster will strike you, no violence will come near your home.
God will put his angels in charge of you to protect you wherever you go. 
They will hold you up with their hands to keep you from hurting your feet on the stones.
You will trample down lions and snakes, fierce lions and poisonous snakes.
God says, "I will save those who love me and will protect those who acknowledge me as Lord.
When they call to me, I will answer them; when they are in trouble, I will be with them.
I will rescue them and honor them.
I will reward them with long life; I will save them.

It's good to start the New Year with prayer and ask the Lord to guide and bless us throughout the year. And better if we pray together as a family. Happy New Year 2013, everyone... God bless.... :)

Thank you, Year 2012

The year 2012 has given us so many blessings in our family. We are so thankful to the Lord for all prayers answered as well as the unanswered ones. God has manifested to us in so many ways how great His love is. A lot of unexpected blessings came, like grand vacations going to places which we thought only in our dreams would happen. I would like to reserve blogging about them one by one next year.

We hope and pray that the Lord our God will continue to shower upon us His abundant blessings. We pray  that others especially those who have less in life will also be blessed and experience His everlasting love.

Meantime, Media Noche is ready to be served and shared by our family. . Let us be optimistic that may the coming New Year 2013 give us more blessings, prosperity, success, good health, peace, and harmony. God bless the Philippines... Peace throughout the whole world... Happy New Year everyone...  God bless.... :)

My Canon Mission

     Year 2007… Go Internet Card had a raffle promotion. The complete desktop computer package being offered for the first prize caught my attention. The card being sold at SM Information counters served as an official entry. The product once used has to be placed in an envelope with the participant’s full details.

     I remember buying at least 5 Go cards during that time with the aim of winning the desktop computer. I prayed hard to win; and a few weeks later, I received a letter with a message that I won in the raffle. Yes, I won but not the prize that I wanted to. Instead, I won the second prize item: a Canon PowerShot A530. Though my desire was not granted still I was very happy that I won a Canon digital camera.

     A few days later,  my children had their school educational field trip. Our whole family went to the field trip full of excitement for we have a digital camera to capture the memorable moments of the activity. The Canon camera made our family bonding more intimate with the shots that never seem to end in every spot we visited during the field trip.  

    Canon camera is a very useful gadget as it captures and records special moments in life. Two such special moments in our family were vividly captured and recorded: The First Communion of my youngest son on December 8, 2009 and my eldest daughter receiving the highest award and delivering her address as Class Valedictorian during her school’s commencement rite on March 30, 2009.  

  

     God has a special purpose why he gave me the second prize instead of the first prize. I was suddenly appointed as official photographer in our Parish Pastoral Council for its photo documents. Instantly, I became the most sought-after photographer during activities in our parish. Then some parents of my children’s classmates and friends started to ask me to take pictures of their children during school occasions. This started my life of somehow earning a living through photography using my Canon camera.

                                                        

     I do not have any formal training in photography.  Since I’m not an established professional photographer in its strictest sense and my clients are my acquaintances, I cannot charge with the usual photographer’s rate. But I find myself enjoying photography as my own personal ministry of serving the Lord our God and witnessing to let others know the real meaning of Christianity. And this made a great impact as I share my blessings of having a Canon camera.

     I wish to have an improved digital camera or better still a Canon DSLR Camera so I can accept other jobs on special occasions such as weddings and the like. But I can wait for its right time to come.

CDO Ham and God's Everlasting Love on Christmas

     I am a self-employed family man and I earn a living as a private Math Tutor doing home service tutorials with an unpredictable income and as official photographer of our Parish Pastoral Council for its photo documentation. Obviously I do not have fix income especially during school vacation particularly christmastime and  summertime.  So, having no employer, I do not expect to receive Christmas bonus and 13^th month pay.

     When the school have its  Christmas break, I have to find other means of livelihood; i.e., photography being my alternative source. But it gives me a meager income as I usually do it as a form of service to my brothers and sisters in our parish. In other words I sell the pictures at almost a bargain price and most of the time I am not paid cash on time whenever I hand them their hard copies. Its even like a gamble because sometimes they don’t get the pictures when they don’t like the outcome of the shots.

     God has always been so generous to my family. He provides in many wonderful ways and we are caught surprised most of the time because of the unexpected manner of answering our prayers. The current Christmas season yields us another experience of His abundant blessings enough to supply our needs.

     My high school graduating eldest daughter attended a YMCA National Assembly in Baguio City for five days from December 26 to 30, 2012. Of course we needed to raise the amount of P4,500.00 for her registration fee which we have to shoulder personally plus her pocket allowance. We did our best for her to be able to join the trip. It’s a sacrifice leaving us in financial difficulty as we celebrate Christmas. But for my family the essence of the yuletide season is our being together in union with God’s love. That's more than enough for us.

     Just before the school had its Christmas vacation, some of my tutees surprised me with their gifts. I thought my family would celebrate Christmas for the first time without a ham during our Noche Buena. But one of my students gifted me with a box of CDO Pear-shaped ham. Others give accomplishment to my wish lists. My children witnessed how God fulfills His promise of never forsaking especially those who truly love and serve Him with gladness. He can never be outdone in generosity. He uses other people to provide us. Thanks to my dearest students and other sponsors. 

     Oh dear Lord, our God, what more can I ask? During Christmas You always give us nothing but the best! I pray that You bless, too, all those who have less during Christmas especially the suffering victims of calamities… Amen.

Red Ribbon... A Part of our Celebration

     Today, December 29, 2012,  me and my wife celebrate our marital bonding: 17th Wedding Anniversary!... We are so thankful to the Lord our God for our blissful marriage. We are blessed with 3 healthy and bright children. Spiritually, God has been with us guiding us in our journeys and struggles in life. He gives us strength  to overcome all difficulties we encounter. We are not employed nor with a business to rely upon but He is always there to provide us in our daily needs... our daily bread. In fact, we feel that we have been more abundantly blessed since I was laid-off from my job in 1997.

     So many things to thank of and I will try to blog them one at a time in the very near future. God must be glorified and exalted above our lives. Materially, we need more but we entrust everything to His care. He knows what is best for us. We are celebrating this day with a simple family sharing. Incomplete though because our eldest daughter is away in Baguio City attending a YMCA National Assembly.


     And through these years, Red Ribbon has been a part of a special occasion in our family - be it a birthday or an anniversary celebration. My eldest daughter's request is always a chocolate flavored cake but this time I am giving way to my 2nd daughter's choice of the Ube Macapuno cake.

     Red Ribbon has many bakeshop products to offer: cakes, rolls, breads, pastries, etc. Maybe a proper review of their various products will be given more attention in a future blog post. Meantime, my family must enjoy God's blessing to us this day... sharing together the full-size Ube Macapuno roll.

Kudos to JTB Tours and Travel, Inc.

           Very early this morning I accompanied my eldest daughter to the Quezon City Hall where she and the rest of the participants to the 24^th YMCA National Assembly of High School Students assembled together for their departure to Baguio City. The national assembly will be held for 5 days from December 26 to 30, 2012 at Teachers’ Camp, Baguio City.

      My daughter is not that excited anymore for the trip to Baguio City since this is already her second time to go there this year. She’s going there for the purpose of accomplishing and gaining something for herself and her school. We have tried our best to make both ends meet in raising her expenses for the trip. God has been so generous in providing us at the last minute for her financial needs (registration of P4,500 plus personal allowances).                                

       

         Foremost in my consideration is my daughter’s safety as she travel to the destination. I remember that the last time we traveled to Baguio City, the van we were riding almost had a road collision with a speedy truck along the ravine area. But seeing the many JTB buses upon arriving at the assembly area, I feel that my daughter is in safe hands. Obviously the trip is handled by JTB Tours and Travel, Inc.


        JTB Tours and Travel, Inc. is a company which aim to give only the best travel experience. Its management is always working hard to maintain best quality and fast services as its main concern. I have witnessed this morning the harmonious working relationship of the staff: They were so organized, accommodating, courteous, and hospitable. Most importantly, just before they departed for the trip, they gathered together in circle holding hands together as they prayed and asked God’s blessing and guidance for the safety of the travel. It vanished all the fears I have in me about the trip. Kudos to JTB!...

                                                        
                     

  Immediately upon arriving home, I searched for the official website of JTB @ http://www.jtbtoursandtravel.com/ and found the following information which may help anyone who wishes to contact them:

  

	Office Address:	8116-C Dr. A Santos Ave. Sucat Road, Paranaque City
	Telephone Numbers:	825-2534 825-2982
	Telefax:	825-2273
	Email Address:	jtbtours@cablelink.com.ph
	Garage Address:	Lot 6 Blk 3-B Naga Road Pulang Lupa, Las Pinas City

                 

The 4th Philippine KPOP Convention

     What is K-Pop? I asked this question to my children last night during our Noche Buena because I am interested to join the current blog contest on K-Pop. Honestly I don’t have enough knowledge about K-Pop. I often hear some people uttering the words “gangnam style.” In most parties, I hear a lot of requests for the horse kind of dancing style. It’s not that I am not inclined to K-Pop music but it’s just that I don’t have time anymore to focus on this particular genre due other priorities that concerns earning a living to raise my family well. In fact, I used to compose pop songs and join contest on this field. 

     Last night I had the chance to really listen and appreciate the sound of Gangnam Style because of a neighborhood videoke birthday party. Usually I got irked as I consider it a noise pollution whenever I hear videoke parties around. But the music seemed to be somewhat different that fascinated me. It captured my inner senses as I attuned myself to listen seriously. Then I kept on asking my children more questions about it. I discovered through them that the music made a world record especially on the “You Tube.” It heightened my curiosity; and so I decided to research further on the internet. As if to answer my queries, a newsfeed suddenly flashed to my twitter account about Gangnam Style making it to the YouTube review as the most-watched video in 2012  http://www.youtube.com/user/theyearinreviewPH. As I watched and listened to the music video, I couldn’t help but get awestricken. What a music that I should have missed in my life!

     No further question about it as I browsed into the evolution of K-Pop in the Philippines. K-Pop has captured the souls of many Filipinos as evidenced by thousands of fans who have attended the previous K-Pop conventions. Hooked by the addicting head-bopping music, young and old alike have come to embrace the K-Pop culture. I myself am beginning to be cultured. The melody of the songs appeals to anyone of any age and inclinations in music. It is able to relate well with the emotions of the Filipinos due to its prominent themes on love and heartbreak. 

     The K-Pop singers themselves attract many Filipinos with their high-energy performances. In fact, young ones nowadays adopt Korean’s fashion statement imitating their K-Pop idols. No doubt the music has even strengthened the diplomatic foreign relationship between Korea and the Philippines. Music, indeed, is a universal language as it breaks the barrier of trying to understand each others languages.

     K-Pop has given me enough reason to feel excited about the K-Pop Convention 4 on December 29, 2012 at PICC Forums 1 - 3. The line-up of activities for the event rouses interests among fans as I checked on the KPOP Con’s Facebook fan page http://www.facebook.com/philkpopcomm with the all-out support of its sponsors: Globe website, Standard Appliance website, Pond’s FB page, Basic House FB page and http://www.lioeleph.com/. Tweets are also viral in @KpopConPh as it actively promote the grandest and most prestigious event that revolutionized the Philippine KPOP fandom. If given the chance, I want to personally witness and integrate myself to the convention. I want to see it, hear it, feel it, and experience it so I would know how it is to be captivated by the so-called K-Pop craze. And what better way to capture, record, and immortalize some highlights of the event than with a Nokia C7 from Globe?

                                                  

                        

Simbang Gabi in our Parish

          Misa de Gallo is a Catholic devotional nine-day series of Masses held annually from December 16 to 24 in anticipation for the Christmas Day on December 25. It is usually done as early as 3 to 5 o’clock in the morning, a time when roosters crow, that is why it is also called as Rooster’s Mass.

           In some parishes especially in the urban areas, it is also celebrated now with an anticipated Evening Mass or Simbang Gabi usually at 8 or 9 o’clock in the evening for the purpose of accommodating the needs of the working people. No matter when the celebration takes place, it is important that people go to Mass with the right attitude which is to worship and thank God for his everlasting love for us by giving us His only begotten Son Jesus Christ as our Saviour. As God sacrificed His only Son, so it draws also a sacrifice in our part with the commitment to rise up early in order to fulfill the religious observance of preparing for the coming or the birthday of the Messiah.

 

                                                                  

           Simbang Gabi aims to awaken and deepen the faith of the Catholic Christians; and it is a symbol of fellowship and sharing to one another the blessings of God into our lives. Our parish opened the 1^st day of celebration with the reading of a pastoral letter from our beloved bishop exhorting the faithfuls about the current issue on RH Bill to be more vigilant and responsible in the next elections to remember those who uphold our faith, life, and morals. The first two days of Masses had a second collecta raised for the victims of Typhoon Pablo in Mindanao. Then for four days there were gift-givings for the selected/surveyed poor family parishioners with packages sponsored by the local civic organizations and Ina ng Buhay Catholic School. 

The Philippine Star also helped the fundraising program of our parish youth by supplying newspapers to be sold with a free San Mig coffee single serve 3-in-1 sachet. The 2013 parish calendar was also sold with no less than the priest campaigning with his own dedication and signature right after the Mass. The Caritas Novaliches also diplayed their products for fundraising benefitting the poor in our diocese. On the 7^th day of Misa de Gallo, the diocesan seminarians had a carolling before the priest gave his final blessing and a second collecta was gathered to financially support their studies. This year saw a massive sponsorship for the Light an Advent Candle, Light a Parol, and Build a Belen project of the parish aimed at generating funds for the program of the parish as well as the diocese.

          

          Our parish had a lively celebration of the Holy Eucharist what with the priest himself conducting the singing of the liturgical songs and even going out of the church during the Mass with a wireless microphone just to encourage the people to participate in the singing. The priests were strict in emphasizing the faithfuls to truly observe the solemnity of the Mass.  The churchgoers standing outside were specifically requested earnestly to focus and avoid chitchattings 
or texting during the Mass. Jokes with a meaningful  message spiced the homilies of priests which  enlivened the active participation of the faithfuls.   

                         

      Our parish priests did well their part in evangelizing the people and clearly making known the meaning of Misa de Gallo or Simbang Gabi. It made a great impact especially to the believers who completed the 9 days of celebration. Surely and hopefully, the birth of Jesus has come into our hearts. It is a perfect gift specially wrapped for all who want to bring one home after the celebration. This is the essence of Christmas.    

                                                                  

                                     

         

         

       

        

       

Puto Bungbong: a Yuletide Delicacy

     Among the popular delicacies during Christmas season, one of the favorites is puto bungbong - a steamed native snack made from sticky purple glutinous rice. It is usually served topped with butter or margarine and shredded coconut mixed with brown sugar.

     In our parish only one stall vendor (Eat 'n Run) is selling puto bungbong and it's usually sold out whenever people would line up to buy as they go home after attending simbang gabi or aguinaldo mass.

                                  


     Going to simbang gabi becomes more interesting to churchgoers in our parish. What with the catchy tag of the stall! It never runs out of customers after the Mass. But I am wondering what would really happen afterward if people do exactly what the name of the stall says, "Eat 'n Run!"... I wish it would still be a Merry Christmas....

“Bel-Air Residences Lipa: A House, A Home, and A Lot More”

     Who doesn’t want to own a house and lot? I believe owning one is an everybody’s dream especially to a family man like me. If ever I have the chance to choose and own a house and lot, it has to be simple in a countryside setting with cool and peaceful atmosphere. The environment that is conducive to a good upbringing of my children will be on the top list of my considerations. Hence, the all day security, the quality of education, spiritual upliftment, health protection, market accessibilty, adequate supply of water and electricity, clean surroundings, and the social development of my family must contend our daily living.

     Bel-Air Residences Lipa conforms to the realization of my dream. It is found in one of the best cities in the country but in a semi-rural setting which is not too crowded or populated. It offers prospective house and lot buyers choices of different house units range from townhouses to two-storey units with floor areas as big as 88 to 165 sq. meters, all designed under the concept of “Modern Zen” architecture. It provides homeowners the enjoyment of amenities like their own basketball court, a jogging path, a playground for kids, barbeque area, multiple parks, a pool, a lanai, a gazebo and a Club House. It is also conveniently located near schools such as Ateneo School of Business, De La Salle University Lipa and many more. Aside from being close to established hospitals like Lipa Medix Medical Center and Metro Lipa Medical Center, the village is just a walking distance from major malls such as SM Lipa, Fiesta Mall, South Supermarket etc. Other leisure places like the Mt. Malarayat Golf Course, The Farm at San Benito and famous Batangas dive sites are minutes away also which can be enjoyed at any day especially during weekends for family, friends, and neghborhood bondings.

     Bel-Air Residences Lipa gives worth to a lifetime investment: a perfect place to make anyone’s dream a reality.

     Interested parties may visit their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/belair.lipa or click on the link below to know more and be amazed of the opportunities one can avail.

                     

                                              www.belairresidenceslipa.com

__________
Note: If I win in this blog contest, I prefer to travel to Bohol for it gives me an aura of a countryside lifestyle just like Bel-Air Residences Lipa. Thanks, NuffnangX

Miss Philippines in Miss U 2012

 It is expected that Miss Philippines Janine Mari Tugonon will land into the headline in today's national newspapers. The Philippine Star grabbed the attention of our parishioners who attended the traditional Simbang Gabi as our parish displayed as early as 3:00 A.M. their daily supply of issues for fund raising of the youth organization. The journalist aptly described it, "Janine comes close...."

Whenever I train my children and the rest of my tutees for their Math Challenge competitions, I always emphasize to them that they should answer specifically the question that is being asked. Especially when it is a word problem solving they should never forget to label their answer or put the proper unit in their final answer as required. Oftentimes getting the exact numerical value doesn't merit a point if there is no unit appended to the answer. And so I reiterate to my Math trainees to give a complete answer to the question. For example, there is a big difference in answering 5 kilograms to a specific question of weight instead of just answering with the plain digit 5.

Reviewing the question asked by judge Nigel Barker to Janine, one can easily notice that there were two questions asked: "As an international ambassador, do you believe that speaking English is a prerequisite to be Miss Universe? Why or why not?"
Janine's answer to the question was: "For me, being Miss Universe is not just knowing about how to speak a specific language, it's about being able to influence and inspire other people. So, whatever language you have, as long as your heart is to serve and you have a strong mind to show to people, then you can be Miss Universe."

Janine failed to answer the first question which was answerable by a "yes" or "no"; but she was perfect in her reply to the second question. Perhaps that made the big difference... a minus point.

But Janine made us proud to be a Filipino. Making it to the Top 5 finalists is already a great achievement. In fact, she is considered the Miss Universe 2012 in the hearts of all the Filipino people.

Krispy Creme... a sweet treat!

It is seldom that I and my wife find enough chance to go out for a date. But since our tutorial sessions ended yesterday with our tutees going on Christmas vacation, we finally have the time to go out this afternoon. Incidentally, we have two deadlines to meet this day: the filing of our daughter's application form for the SM Foundation College Scholarship Program and the claiming of our e-voucher of Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Doughnut and Signature Coffee @ Krispy Kreme SM City Fairview branch which we won in the "A sweet treat to our sweetest fans promo" (https://www.facebook.com/krispykremeph?fref=ts).

After submitting all the necessary requirements for our daughter's scholarship application at SM-Hypermarket Fairview, we proceeded to the second floor where Krispy Kreme outlet is located near the Regalado Highway exit door.  For the first time we have the opportunity to try what Krispy Kreme has to offer to its customers. We were promptly attended by the cashier upon presentation of our e-voucher which we have printed from our email congratulatory messages. And browsing through a menu/flyer while waiting for the hot coffee to be served on our table, we found out that we have just entered a company which serve World Famous Doughnuts and Coffee since 1937. Gazing around especially at the display counter, we found a lot of doughnut variants which can be perfectly combined with the different coffee mixture servings available to choose from.

I and my wife have truly enjoyed our first experience of Krispy Kreme as we were served courteously. We're so lucky to have won a sweet treat and we highly recommend it especially to those who want coffee served hot and strong! 

Maria, Ina Ng Buhay

Nitong mga nakaraang araw, gusto ko sanang mag-blog tungkol sa Simbang Gabi o sa nalalapit na Pasko ngunit napagtanto kong unahing i-blog ang Birheng Maria, Ina ng Buhay, ang mismong patron ng aming parokya dito sa Quezon City. Mismong ang dating Archbishop ng Manila na si Jaime Cardinal Sin ang nagbigay ng pangalang ito sa aming parokya na hango sa nag-iisang Mother of Life, the Notre Dame de Vie in Venesque, near Avignon, France.  Dahil dito ang aming parokyang Ina ng Buhay ang siyang pangalawang lugar ng Mother of Life sa buong mundo at pinakauna sa buong Asia.    

Ngayong araw na ito ay magkakaroon na ng 3^rd at final reading sa Kongreso hinggil sa pagpapasa ng RH Bill. Naitanong ko sa aking sarili, “Bakit si Maria, hindi siya natakot o nagkaroon ng bahid ng pag-aalinlangan sa pagtalima upang sundin ang kalooban ng Diyos?” Pinanindigan niyang buhayin si Hesus kahit alam niyang maaari siyang batuhin at patayin sa kanyang pagdadalantao kung sakaling walang responsableng lalaking tatayo at aako na maging asawa niya. At kung hindi niya sinunod ang kalooban ng Diyos na maging Ina ni Hesus mayroon kaya tayong Pasko na taun-taon nating ipinagdiriwang? Ang halimbawa ni Maria, Ina ng Buhay ay dapat nawang magsilbing gabay sa ating pagdesisyon kung nararapat bang ipatupad ang RH Bill.

Ang RH Bill ay hindi solusyon para matugunan ang mga pangangailangan ng mga mahihirap. Karamihan sa mga namumuno ay galing sa mga pamilyang may kaya sa buhay. At ang mga politikong nagpupumilit na ipasa ang RH Bill, kanino ba sila tumatakbo upang humingi ng boto tuwing may halalan? Ang RH Bill ay hindi solusyon upang maging responsible ang mga magulang sa kanilang mga anak. Maraming mga magulang na iisa o dadalawa lang ang anak pero irresponsible naman sa kanilang mga anak. Maraming nagsasabi na hindi dahil malaki ang ating population ang sanhi ng kahirapan sa ating bansa kundi dahil sa laganap na corruption. Hindi ganito kahirap ang ating bansa kung ang pondo sana ay totoong napupunta o naibubuhos para sa mga pangangailangan ng mga mahihirap.

Mula sa banal na kasulatan, sinasabing “Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a blessing” (Psalm 127:3). Ang ating bansa ay katangi-tanging Kristiyano sa buong Asya na ginagamit ng Panginoon upang ipalaganap ang kanyang Mabuting Balita. Ang ating dalawang Santong Filipino (San Lorenzo Ruiz at San Pedro Calungsod) ay mga misyonero na nagpahayag ng salita ng Diyos sa ibang bansa. Naalala ko pa minsan may narinig akong kuwento ng isang Filipina OFW. Araw-araw ay tinuturuan niya ng magagandang asal at kung paano magdasal ang kanyang alagang bata at dahil dito ay nakatawag pansin sa mga magulang ng bata at sa bandang huli ay  naging sanhi ng conversion ng buong pamilya na isang makapangyarihan sa isang non-Christian country. Tayong mga Filipino ay ginagamit ng Panginoon upang ipahayag o ikalat ang kanyang Mabuting Balita sa ibang bansa.

Mas gusto ng Panginoon na sundin Siya kaysa gumawa tayo ng sariling desisyon kahit inaakala nating ito ay makabubuti. Kaya nagalit ang Panginoong Diyos kay Haring Saul nang sinuway niya ang instructions sa kanya sa pamamagitan ni Samuel at gumawa siya ng sarili niyang desisyon na inaakala niya noon ay makabubuti.  (1 Samuel 13:13  and 1 Samuel 15:12)

Sana tularan ng ating mga mambabatas o ng mga medical workers ng ating bansa ang naging attitude ng mga midwives na naa-assign at inatasan ng Egyptian King na patayin ang mga sanggol na isinisilang lalo na kung ito ay lalaki. Dahil may takot sila sa Diyos hindi nila sinunod ang kautusan ng Hari kung kaya’t sa bandang huli ay nabuhay si Moses (Exodus 1:15-21). Kagaya ni Maria Ina ng Buhay ay panindigan din sana nila ang buhay.

Kung sakaling maisabatas na ang RH Bill maaaring ang paggamit ng contraceptives ay maituro na sa mga mababa at mataas na paaralan. Ang aking pangamba bilang isang ama ay kung isang araw sa pag-uwi ng anak kong dalagita na ay makita kong may condom siya o anumang contraceptives at sisitahin ko siya kung bakit meron siya nito ay maaaring sagutin niya ako ng: "Kaysa naman mabuntis ako, 'no?...." Nasaan na ngayon ang moralidad dito?

Maria, Ina ng Buhay, ipanalangin Mo po kami....

For our Bible Quiz, Can you name the two midwives asked by the king of Egypt to kill the babies and not let them live?     (Exodus 1:15)

G for Greenwich

     When my 3 children won as champion during the Metro Manila Regional Finals of the 3rd St. Paul NationalBible Quiz Bee in SM Mega Mall Activity Center, the first thing they asked of me regarding their cash prize was to treat them at GREENWICH. They love pizza and they deserve to be treated to a grand blowout with nothing but one of the best pizza chains in the country. As soon as they received their prize as champion we immediately settled for an opulent snack at GREENWICH in the food court with an Overload Pizza and Lasagna Supreme.

     In one of the promos of Greenwich  (https://www.facebook.com/GreenwichPizza), my wife won as one of the 300 winners of a Crispy Glazed Chicken Meal last September. So lucky to have been given the opportunity to try then its latest  craze for free.

     A few minutes just before my eldest daughter took a college entrance test at a famous university, she requested for a snack at GREENWICH inside the campus in order to sustain herself for the tough examination. I ordered her favorite Lasagna Supreme & Jumbo Crunchy Chicken much to her gratification.

     Through the years, GREENWICH has been a delight especially for the young ones who are so fond of pizza. It adheres to the taste of the Filipino people from various level of life. It caters to every occasion and situation. It provides an avenue for friendship and family bonding or just simply for personal unwinding from a day's hectic schedule. It serves for Dine In, Take Out, or thru 5-55-55 Hotline Delivery.

   

 
     As of this writing there is an ongoing promo which may give one a chance to win a Special Overload Christmas Party Pizza. Simply click on this link to join  https://www.facebook.com/GreenwichPizza?sk=app_393622964046206&app_data=sp323809

The Advent Wreath

The Advent wreath is a garland of evergreen branches shaped like a circle in which there is no end point. It symbolizes God's unending or everlasting love for us. On this wreath a candle is lit for four Sundays just before the Christmas day  -  a tradition being practiced by many Christian denominations throughout the world.
Question for our Bible Quiz:  In what particular passage in the Bible can we find "I have always loved you, so I continue to show my constant love."?            A. Psalms 103:17               B. Jeremiah 31:3            C. John 3:16         D. Romans 8:31

God Sends Angel to Help Us

For some, Saturday is a time for students to rest and extend their sleep then play. But for my son, weekend is a hectic schedule for his Math Challenge trainings: MTAP in the morning and MTG in the afternoon. I give him enough time to rest and play his favorite sports of football though after his trainings.
One problem that we are encountering is his transportation because the two categories are conducted in different far away venues. The MTAP training is done in Our Lady of Lourdes School in Caloocan City while the sessions for the MTG is held in Hope Christian Academy, Fairview, Quezon City. His school has given up its support of a vehicle service in MTG for practical reasons since he's the only one from the middle school level to have enrolled in the advanced tough training. We cannot do anything but to commute on our own.
My son is decisive and eager to pursue his dream of participating someday in an international math competitions. I have to give him my full moral support in the best I can to make him realize his dream. His guardian angel proves to be supportive to him all the way as well. A family suddenly offered us to ride in their car every Saturday in going to and from his MTG training as their daughter is also enrolled for the rigid training. May God bless the Moldogo Family abundantly.

Question for our Bible Quiz for the day:   In the Book of Bel and the Dragon, an angel grabbed this prophet by the hair and took him to Babylon with the speed of the wind to give some food to Daniel. Can you name the prophet?  

Why did Jesus Weep?

     Surely, Jesus was deeply hurt when Judas betrayed him? More so when all his disciples whom he was relying upon abandoned him during his arrest. It was also very painful for him when his own hometown/country rejected him. Throughout his public ministry he has shown compassion towards families whose members suddenly passed away...

     Now, for our regular Bible Quiz, the question is based on John 11:35... For what reason did Jesus weep?        A. Judas betrayed Him     B. His disciples abandoned Him     C. Jerusalem rejected Him     D. The death of Mary's brother.

     You may post your answers in the comment box below. Suggestions for improvement will be highly appreciated. For previous bible quizzes just click Bible Quiz on the blog archive...


(Photo taken from Our Lady of Hope Parish Church in Quezon City, near Quezon City Science High School at the back of SM City North EDSA using a Canon PowerShot A530)

Kristong Hari

     Ang utos ng hari dapat hindi binabali!... Ito ang laging umaalingawngaw na panawagan ng aming assistant parish priest na si Fr. Jun tuwing siya ay nagmimisa mga dalawang linggo bago sumapit ang kapistahan ng Kristong Hari. Ikinampanya niya ang pagkakaroon ng Holy Hour bilang vigil sa Sabado ng gabi bago ang Feast of Christ the King at dapat na daluhan ng mga mananampalatayang katoliko sa aming parokya kung si Kristo ang totoong hari sa kanilang buhay. Dahil sa masigasig na pagpapaalala ni Fr. Jun, marami ang nagsipagdalo sa Holy Hour/Vigil na ginanap noong Sabado ng gabi, November 24, 2012. Nag-umapaw ang simbahan sa pagdagsa ng mga mananampalataya at sold out ang mga kandilang ibinenta para sa vigil prayers na kung saan inialay din ang mga ito sa altar sa may harapan ng naka-expose na Blessed Sacrament bilang pagsuko kasabay ng mga taimtim na panalangin ng mga prayer requests. May mga invited speakers na nagsipagbahagi ng pagpapatotoo sa kanilang buhay na siyang lalong nagpasigla sa pagdaraos ng vigil. Nagkaroon din ng video clippings presentation kasabay ng mala-anghel na pag-awit ng Knights of Columbus Choir na nakatulong para sa pagninilay-nilay ng mga dumalo. Ipinasok sa loob ng simbahan ang malaking imahe ng Kristong Hari at nagwakas ang vigil sa pamamagitan ng isang Kumpisalang Bayan.

                           

             

                   

     Linggo ganap na ika-apat ng hapon November 25, 2012 ay nagkaroon ng prosisyon sa aming parokya. Sa unang pagkakataon ay isang malaking image ng Kristong Hari ang ginamit sa halip na ang nakaugaliang Blessed Sacrament ang ginamit sa prosisyon alinsunod sa kautusan ng aming Diocese. Maraming mga mananampalataya ang sumali sa prosisyon na siyang nagpabagal sa daloy ng trapiko sa mga nadaanang mga kalyeng pampubliko ngunit hindi kinakitaan ng pagrereklamo ng mga drivers bagkus ay nakiisa at tumulong na mapaluwag ang daloy ng trapiko. Habang dinarasal ang Santo Rosaryo kasabay ng pagpoprosisyon ay damang-dama ang kaligayahn sa bawat puso ng mga deboto na karamihan ay miyembro ng mga iba't-ibang religious and mandated organizations.
     Ang kapistahan ng hari ang pagtatapos ng bawat liturgical calendar year ng Simbahang Katoliko. At susunod dito ang pagsimula na naman ng bagong liturgical calendar year na kung saan mag-uumpisa na ang Advent Season para sa pagdating ng Mesiah sa Araw ng Pasko... Viva Cristo Rei!... Live into our hearts forever!....