Curbside Stories

I have a friend who had a relationship with a Muslim guy. My friend is Roman Catholic. Their relationship was good but when my friend had to go back to the Philippines for a vacation, her then-boyfriend married another Muslim woman because the guy's parents doesn't approve of her. It was a fixed marriage, a norm in where the guy lives. My friend told me that one of the factors why she did not expect the relationship to last is because she is of a different religion. Although the guy didn't ask her to change her religion, it was obvious on the part of the parents... it was a requirement. Would you change religion for love? Does religion ever matter for a relationship to pursue and to last? Can't we just all respect each other's beliefs?

Photo from www.voxxi.com We have one happy new pope here! Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio is our new pope and he will be called Pope Francis. He is the first Latin American pope and the first from the Jesuit order to be elected on the highest seat in Catholic Church. Here are some facts about Pope Francis... 1. Rather than living in archbishop's palace, he chose to live in an apartment and ride a bus instead of a limousine to go to work. 2. He cooks his own meals. 3. He advocates social justice. He strongly opposes same-sex marriage, abortion and euthanasia. 4. He lives with only one lung. His other lung was removed when he was still young due to infection. 5. He doesn't have a Vatican experience. 6. He was one of the runners-up of Pope Benedict XVI during the 2005 conclave. 7. He was accused of kidnapping two priests in Argentina in the 1970s. No case was filed. 8. He speaks Italian and German aside from his native tongue Spanish. ...

Life of Pi is a story of a boy named Piscine (Pi), who became trapped with a Bengal tiger for 227 days after their ship sank in the Pacific Ocean together with his family. It is basically a story of faith, hope, friendship and survival. I was lucky to have seen this movie last week. It moved my faith to another level. Do you believe in God? If not, this book (and movie) will make you become a believer.

I had the most life changing dream last night. It was the first time that it happened to me. It was the most concrete proof of God's intercession in my life... the proof that God is always with me, because He was with me even in my dream. In my dream, I was sleeping and was possessed by a demon. I was alone. My body stiffened, I could not breathe, but my mind was clear. I prayed. I have never prayed like that before. I was crying. I closed my eyes. I prayed for forgiveness and salvation. I surrendered myself to God. When I opened my eyes, while still in demonic possession, I saw before me a familiar image taking form. It was Jesus Christ! My heart rejoiced and I cried of happiness that He heard my prayers. All I could think of at that moment is I am saved. He stretched out his right arm, reaching his hand to me. I reached out my hand in return. There was a blinding light and the possession was no more.   When I woke up, I checked the time on my cellphone. It was 4AM....

There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, there will be dismay among nations in their confusion over the roaring of the sea and surging waves. The planets and other heavenly bodies will be shaken, causing people to faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world. Then they will see the Human One coming on a cloud with power and great splendor. Now when these things happen, stand up straight and raise your heads, because your redemption is near. Luke 21:25-28 Take care that your hearts aren't dulled by drinking parties, drunkenness, and the anxieties of day-to-day life. Don't let that day fall upon you unexpectedly, like a trap. It will come upon everyone who lives on the face of the whole earth. Stay alert at all times, praying that you are strong enough to escape everything that is about to happen and to stand before the Human One. Luke 21:34-36 Are we prepared for the second coming of Christ?  That was the question ...

I was invited by a friend to their church's activity. He is a Christian, I am a Roman Catholic. It was not the first time for  me to attend different religious activities of a different religion. The experience, although short, was somewhat relaxing to the spirit. I just sat there for two hours, read Bible passages as their leader explain them one by one. The session was just an introduction to how they want their guests to know the truth. The leader emphasized that they are just instruments to expose the truth  based on the Bible itself and nothing else. After the session, everyone shared a humble dinner. I felt the warmth and sincerity of everyone in the room. If time permits again, I would like to listen and know more about their religion.

Not intended to promote a coffee brand. I was just cold that I have to have something to keep me warm. We were allowed to have coffee, anyway. I attended the last session of my Ethics subject for my MBA and we discussed about good governance, ethical standards expected of a public official and the like. One of the reporters said that a public officer should earn public trust--which I totally agree. Another thing that was discussed were the 8 norms of conduct of public officials: 1. Common public interest  2. Professionalism 3. Justness and sincerity 4. Political neutrality 5. Responsiveness to public 6. Nationalism and patriotism 7. Commitment to democracy 8. Simple living If only these eight are being practiced by all government officials and employees, then, probably our courts will not trial a public official for graft and corruption. Blessed is the nation whose God is LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. Psalm ...

Do everything in God's glory and to always be thankful of our blessings. Don't make promises you cannot keep. Keep your integrity. Be careful of false prophets. You will know them through their actions and their followers. Not be lazy. To not be a worrywart. Remember the old saying, "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift that's why it is called present." Do not point your fingers at your neighbors. Do not be judgmental. Always see the goodness in others. Give others a chance to prove themselves.

Holy Spirit Church inside Divine Word Seminary. This place brought back a lot of memories. This is where we had a 2-day retreat when I was in high school. Inside the Holy Spirit Church.  Taken inside the compound of Our Lady of Lourdes Church. This is where a good friend had her wedding. Hers was the only wedding our friends were able to attend. It was something special and really worth remembering. Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto at the compound of the church. For lunch: chicken barbecue and lechon kawali at Nanay Dorie's Bulalohan. Yummy! Tagaytay City is one of the most visited tourist spots in Cavite especially during summer. Families and friends  will surely enjoy the various recreational activities in Tagaytay City. Thrill seekers will be pleased to experience the boat ride to the Taal Volcano via the Taal Lake, zip lining, horse back riding, wall climbing and trekking among others. The food connoisseurs can have a taste of Tagaytay's famous bulalo ...

St. Helena with Constantine. Each year, during May, in almost every town in the Philippines, there is a Santacruzan . It is a parade commemorating the pilgrimage of Reyna Elena (St. Helena) to Calvary, together with other reynas  including Mary Magdalene, in finding Jesus' cross. This Catholic tradition is usually celebrated every 3rd week of May. The Tres Marias. Reyna De Virgines. Reyna Divina Pastora. Traditionally, the Santacruzan is arranged in this order according to WikiPilipinas: Methuselah  - a bearded old man cooking grains of sand in a pan over fire. He represents the transient of life... the return of all things to ashes and sand. Reina Banderada  - a young woman wearing a red gown and carrying a triangular flag that represents the coming of Christianity. Aetas  - they represent the Filipino pagans before the coming of Christianity. Reina Mora  - represents the dominant religion before Christianity. Rein...

My cousin is back into blogging. It has been a year since her last post. I am glad she's back because I know she has a lot of nice things to share. And speaking of share... I would like to share her first post this year. It is an excerpt from the Little Black Book about the 5 things teens should never live with. Adults should also apply these to their lives. ******************* The world is full of people who look back with regret on their teenage years. So here are those 5 regrets you don't want to live with the rest of your lives. 1.)   Moral regrets . Don't allow yourself to compromise your purity and be remembered forever with the stains of sexual sin(Rom.12:1) 2.)   Ministry regrets.   If the Lord is speaking to you about sharing your faith w/ a classmate, take the opportunity. It may never come again. 3.)   Mentor regrets . Submit yourself to a good pastor and others you trust to mold you and develop you as a leader. Now is the greate...

I bought this book last Wednesday and I was able to finish it last night. Dan Brown has taken a lot of sleeping time from me. This book gave me the same excitement as the Angels and Demons  and has intensified my interest in conspiracy theories. I have read an article before, a publication of Catholic origin, vehemently denying the allegations that Jesus Christ had a relationship with Mary Magdalene and that they actually had a child. This book, no wonder, made international buzz... it contradicts Catholic dogma. Dan Brown is surely a great storyteller. He puts you in a position that you almost question your beliefs.

"Feeling appreciated is one of the most important needs that people have. When you share with someone your appreciation and gratitude, they will not forget you. Appreciation will return to you many times."  - Steve Brunkhorst ****************************************** The most important lesson I have learned this year is to learn how to appreciate. The year 2010 has been a year full of blessings and I thank the Lord for His generosity.  I could not even remember the problems I had because all of those were overshadowed by His grace.  He showered me with blessings better than what I prayed for.    This year I have learned to appreciate the things that we sometimes take for granted--the seemingly bottomless refrigerator where we can always pull out something whenever we are hungry, the clean and comfy sheets we lay our body when we sleep, the cool breeze, the sun's rays kissing our cheeks in the morning, the falling leaves, the raindrops, the cheerful jeepney ...

After more than a decade, I went back to SVD (Divine Word Seminary) in Tagaytay City.  It is a special and memorable place for me because it is where my 4th year classmates in high school had a retreat.  I was excited to learn that our business planning session will be held there for two days.  I wasn't really thinking of planning but more of reminiscing the good times I had with my friends. The famous Holy Spirit Church with its bell tower.  It is the first structure that will greet you when you enter the compound. The road that leads to the compound (shot from the inside). This is one of the dorms fronting the dorm where we stayed.  It looks old but still charming. That's not a ghost.  It's just me taking the picture of Zen Raum--one of the many prayer rooms in the compound. This is just one of the many portraits of Jesus that hung on the walls of SVD.  This particular portrait can be found just outside the Zen Raum.  There's something ...