The Christmas Story (A "Behind-The-Scenes" Version)

A repost. As originally published on EV Mail News for the week of December 5-11, 2011.
http://www.evmailnews.com/eastern-visayas-mail-issue-of-december-5-11-2011


I love Christmas. It's one of my favorite occasions next to Resurrection Day or Easter. Since I like to celebrate the birthdays of my family and close friends (I don't necessarily like celebrating mine!), it's no surprise that I'd love celebrating Christmas. It's the birthday of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! It's the Birthday of all birthdays!

It warms my heart just to see all the celebrations going on in every home, in the workplace, in the streets, and in places of business during the holidays. Christmas trees of different sizes everywhere. Gifts, ribbons, tinsels, glitters, bells, beautiful decors, Christmas balls and Christmas lights all around! What heart wouldn't melt in such glory, in such warmth and majestic pomp? Christmas is the time of year when we can go overboard with everything --from the decorations, lights, presents, food, parties, to the presence of families and friends around us. Sometimes "too much family" and too many people can be overwhelming but not on Christmas! We revel in the luxury of love, friendship, sentimentality, reminiscing, and celebrating with those we care about because... why not? It's the birthday of The KING!

For a lot of people, the story of Christmas is a very familiar one. We were told about it since we were young. We read it in books, we see it on TV, and everybody talks about it in church especially during the holidays. It has been handed down from generations to generations and almost everyone, even those who don't believe in Christ knows the general concept of the story of Christmas. Which version do you know?

As I continue to read and learn from God's Word, and as I also read other books by Christian authors on the subject of Christ's birth, I may have a slightly different version compared to the more common one as told in bedtime storytelling. This version is biblical, partly "intelligent speculations," partly historical, and little part fiction. I say "intelligent speculation" because for this story of utmost importance, I don't want to inject anything that is only hypothetical or purely imaginary since it might mar the essence of the whole story. Whatever speculations there are on this version of the Christmas story, they are all based on the truth of the Bible, the common knowledge of the traditions and way of life of the people during the time of Joseph and Mary and at the time when Jesus was born. There are also views from some Bible experts. And whatever fiction I include, it will be very minimal and will not affect the main truths of the story.

So here goes:

Photo borrowed from Huffingtonpost.com

It was probably sometime around the end of June or mid-July more than 2,000 years ago, when a teenage Jewish girl named Mary, who lived in a small town in the city of Galilee called Nazareth, had an experience of a lifetime which she will never ever forget. An angel of the Lord named Gabriel paid her a visit to announce something that will change her life forever. The angel announced that the teenage girl Mary has found favor in the eyes of God and He will use her to conceive a son who will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.

As the angel Gabriel stood before her, Mary was trembling with awe and fear. She has never seen an angel before. What a sight to behold! What an amazing, glorious being! But what the angel was saying was even more amazing. It was unbelievable! The Lord God Almighty whom Mary serves with all her heart has given her a favor to use her as His instrument? But, but..... Questions were reeling in Mary's mind. She was only a teenager. She has never known a man. How can the conception happen? Besides, she is betrothed to Joseph. They are in the middle of all the preparations they needed for the wedding. Joseph is a good man, a godly man. How will I tell him? How will he take the news? Mary was scared. Her heart was beating so fast she can feel it almost jump out of her chest.

But despite of all the questions and thoughts that were going through her mind, there is one thing Mary was sure of --she cannot say no to God. And so she answered the angel Gabriel, I am the handmaiden of the Lord, be it to be according to thy word. What humility! What servitude! What courage! See, at that time, it was unheard of for a teenage girl to be without a husband at a certain age and to be pregnant. And especially to be pregnant without a man! Mary can be stoned to death for humiliating her fiancé Joseph and both their families. It was as good as the sin of adultery because according to the custom of the Jewish people, an engagement is almost as good as marriage. There will be so much shame that will be brought on by this pregnancy. Oh and how is she going to tell Joseph and her family? Tell them than an angel appeared to her and told her that God wants to use her and that the Holy Spirit will make her pregnant? Yeah right. Oh no, what am I going to do? Mary must have asked herself. Maybe that's why the Bible says that she left for the hill country with haste to seek solitude and help from her cousin Elisabeth, in the house of Zacharias.

But Mary need not have to worry after all because God took care of Joseph. Apparently, after Mary told Joseph about the situation, he decided to divorce her privately in order to avoid shame upon her and their families. But an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and explained everything to Joseph. Being a godly man, Joseph, of course, obeyed and he married Mary and decided to take care of her firstborn son.

When taxation time came, Joseph had to go to the city of David in Judaea called Bethlehem in order to be registered and taxed together with his family. So he and a very pregnant Mary traveled with a donkey. As they arrived in Bethlehem, Mary was beginning to have labor pains and cramps. The time came for her to deliver her firstborn. Due to the important occasion of taxation when most families go home to their place of origin, Bethlehem was packed with people. They couldn't find any place to stay for the night. They ended up in an animal stable by the back of an inn where Mary delivered her baby. They were ill-prepared for the coming of the baby due to the trip. And the stable was hardly a place to welcome a newborn child. They only had some swaddling clothes to cover the baby with and they placed him in a manger for there was no bed or any crib in sight. And by the way, they named the baby, JESUS.

No kings or royalties were present at the stable to welcome the King of Heaven in a manger as He entered this world. The only witnesses were the shepherds who were watching their flocks in the fields that night. The angels in heaven declared it to them and told them what happened. Even though there was no flair or celebration happening in Bethlehem the night Jesus was born but all the heavens was rejoicing. A multitude of angels were singing praises and worshiping God for the momentous occasion. The shepherds were there to witness such glorious sight. Heaven was rejoicing because God's plan of salvation has already begun with the birth of Jesus. It's going to be a long road ahead but mankind will be rescued. Death and hell will be conquered by this baby on a manger. As God has planned.

All these things happened to fulfill the prophecy of the Lord from the Old Testament. God was at work here. He was in control. He has a plan. He wanted His Son to enter the world without any worldly glory or recognition because He came not to be served but to serve, He came not to judge the world but to save the world, and He had to do it fully as God and fully as Man. There was no other way.

"Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS." -Matthew 1:18-25

(For more Bible readings on the Christmas story, also read the Book of Luke, Chapters 1 & 2.)

Do You Speak English?

A repost. As originally published on EV Mail News for the week of November 28 to December 4, 2011.
http://www.evmailnews.com/eastern-visayas-mail-issue-of-nov-28-dec-4-2011


When we first came to the United States, one of the first things I've noticed was that a lot of people were surprised that my family and I can speak very good and fluent English. They are surprised when I tell them that most Filipinos can speak the language very well because it's considered to be the second official national language of the country.

Then they get even more surprised when I tell them that Filipinos use English in schools, in offices, for businesses, in the government, in reporting for some TV programs, on the radio, for some news prints, and even with our everyday conversations.

Since English is widely used in the Philippines, I tell my American friends that we even came up with a new "language" nicknamed "Taglish," (a combination of Tagalog and English), but this doesn't come as a big surprise for them because they've already heard of "Spanglish," (a combination of Spanish and English), which also happens to be the title of a movie released here in 2004.

Speaking the language in an English-speaking country is not difficult. It was never a problem for me and my family, or for any Filipinos who come to America for that matter. Communicating with the language, however, is a different story. Using it in the Philippines and using it in a foreign country are two different matters. For one, there's the "issue" of the accent, diction and pronunciation.

Americans, as we already know from the movies, speak with their own accent which is very different from ours. If you find it hard to understand what they're talking about in the movies, try to imagine them speaking to you directly without any "theatrical" enunciation nor any microphones or speakers to amplify their words.

This is where the "communication" part between two persons who speak exactly the same language can sometimes get "lost in translation." It's either Americans speak too fast, with too much slang, or with a "heavy" accent, that they might as well be speaking in another unknown, foreign tongue.

Another "issue" is the choice of words. It's very interesting to find out (and most Filipinos find out the hard way during the first two years of arriving in the States) that a particular English word that we've used in the Philippines all our lives means differently here in America. Or that word is simply not used for common, daily conversations. We might use it in schools, for essays, or formal letters, but not in informal banter.

Case in point is the word "soft drinks." Filipinos automatically know what I mean when I ask for a soft drink. As you'd have probably guessed, we found out that they don't use the term so much here in Chicago. They use the general word "pop" or soda for all types of soft drinks. "Cola" is acceptable but there are only two choices for that: Coca-cola or Pepsi cola. If you want a variety of soft drinks, you have to say "pop."

Another case in point is the term "comfort room." This is readily understood anywhere in the Philippines and there are even signs for it everywhere. But the first time I asked for directions to the nearest "comfort room" here in Chicago, I was met with a blank stare and a big "say what?" They don't have comfort rooms here, they have restrooms, ladies room, bathrooms, or (to be fancy) a powder room.

Another "funny" word is Ma'am. Filipinos are so respectful that we call almost all females as Ma'am. The only problem is that we pronounce it as mum. An American once asked me why we call all ladies as our Mom. I laughed so hard I can hardly breathe! I explained that it's just the diction. What we mean to say is "maaam." (Remember the joke we used to have with the lessons of the English alphabet we had in first grade? A as in ay-pol? Those were good times!)

As for pronunciation, I remember an American friend telling me that she wished she could give me a "rule of thumb" for pronouncing some English words I wasn't too familiar with but there just isn't any, she said. "New arrivals" just have to learn by listening, asking, and making a few mistakes along the way.

Words like comfortable, interesting, assessor, mayonnaise and supplements were very tricky for me at first until I've learned how to say them (the American way) by listening to others. Even with the most ordinary of words like Eli's (pronounced as eee-lies not eh-lees), Paulina (pooh-lay-na not pawleena), broccoli (brok-lee), oven (ah-ven not ooh-ven), calcium (kal-si-yum not kalshoom), etcetera, résumé and register were very tricky indeed.

Some Americans snickered at my pronunciation just because they say it differently. But no worries, they are my friends and they only chuckled at my pronunciation because they can't help it. They find it too funny the same way we find it so funny when Americans try to speak Tagalog, Bisaya or Waray-waray amidst us local folks.

Sometimes we just have to learn the hard way in order for some things to stick to our "kukute" (thick, dense skulls), and then, we might just learn something new for a change.

And here's the Bible story on how God confounded the language of man in the tower of Babel:

"And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth." –Genesis 11:1-9

Food Talk

A repost. As originally published on EV Mail News for the week of November 14-20, 2011.
http://www.evmailnews.com/eastern-visayas-mail-issue-of-november-14-20-2011


Food experts, nutritionists and medical professionals all agree that "we are what we eat." And what we eat does reveal a lot about our personalities. Food really does talk, they say.

Chicago is kind of a "melting pot" of different cultures and peoples. It's one of the few major cities in America where a multicultural convergence of sorts happen everyday. It's the way of life here. Name a group of people and more likely than not you will find them here in the Windy City. Due to this multicultural presence here, our gastronomic experience is greatly elevated as well. If anyone has any sudden craving for some exotic cuisine, they don't have to worry because they will find it somewhere in Chi Town for sure.

From Asian cuisines- Filipino, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan or Malaysian; to some Middle Eastern food- shawarma, lamb kabob, gyros, olives, pita, tahini sauce, hummus, baba ghanoush, falafel, baklava and couscous; and to experience some of the African gourmet cooking- Ethiopian, Eritrean, Ghana, Moroccan, Libyan, Tunisian or Egyptian; and down to the everyday burgers, hotdogs, fried chicken, fries and shakes --all these are available in Chicago and more! Our culinary choices seem endless.

Before leaving Tacloban, I was only exposed to some Chinese food and the usual burgers, hotdogs and fries aside from the local Filipino food and the sumptuous Waray-waray specialties. But now I'm becoming more and more "culturally rounded" (literally and figuratively) due to my extensive culinary experience around the city. I don't have to leave Chicago in order for me to sample different cultures and exotic foods from different countries. They are mostly available here.

Besides, I love to eat. Maybe this is both a curse and a blessing at the same time. Maybe a curse because in my pursuit of a diverse food adventure, I may experience some dishes that are not to my utmost liking (which can happen very rarely though) and food poisoning is also very real in the culinary industry. Although Chicago is very strict and tight in their regulations and sanitary inspections, there are still some loopholes in the system.

On the other hand, being a "foodie" is also a huge blessing because aside from learning other people's cultures and their way of life through their food, I get to see and enjoy the various blessings God has given specifically to each nation. And with food also comes fellowship.

Filipinos are fond of gatherings which include family, friends, food, great conversations, music and fun. Maybe that's where I got my love for food and people. I can't help it, it's in my heritage. And thankfully, I'm not scared to try out new things as well. I would eat anything as long as it's not unsanitary, it's not crawling or moving in any way, and it's not hairy. In my knowledge, I haven't eaten any snakes, bugs, cats nor dogs, unless I've been served those without my consent and my knowledge, and maybe it tasted good so I ate. But my list of inedible food is very short indeed.

"Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man." -Matthew 15:17-20

I'm glad that as Christians we don't have to answer to each other as to what or what not to eat. We are on our own in this matter. But looking back at the time of Jesus, the Pharisees (a group of priests and teachers of the law of Moses among the Jews) condemned Jesus, His disciples and His followers, for not following the traditions of their own people on how, what, and what not to eat. Jesus was criticized for mingling and dining with "sinners."

As I study that part of the Bible, it goes to show that people even in the past were so hung-up with what other people eat and do. That's when Jesus replied with the verses quoted above in Matthew 15. Although basically Jesus is saying that food per se will not and will never defile a man's heart, He continues to say that the motive and the act of eating may cause other people to "stumble," spiritually.

"But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend." -1 Corinthians 8:12-13

Food really does talk, huh! It says a lot about who we are and more importantly the way we eat says a lot of what's in our hearts. Eating is a social activity. As Jesus has shown with His life here on earth, food is always shared with family and friends. Verses in the Bible tell the story of how crowds of people follow Jesus to hear Him speak, and they always interact together with food and they always eat together among the crowds. Jesus knew that we need nourishment for our physical bodies in order for us to function well and to focus on what's important in life.

Yes, Jesus teaches that we "must not live by bread alone, but by every word of God" (Luke 4:4), but He also showed His disciples the miracles of multiplying and dividing food among the multitudes. God knows that food is important for us but He wants us to also understand that His Word is everything that we could ever need, want or hope for, and more.

So as I continue my culinary adventure, I would always thank God for His provision of food and good health as well as the blessings of family, friendship and fellowship. I pray that my eating habits will not offend anyone and that I will never judge anyone in return for what they eat. Man was never intended to live by bread alone or to be alone in this world.

As the saying goes, “No man is an island.” Even God is never alone. He is the Triune God --God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. God is our perfect example of the perfect unity and fellowship among us.

"Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. Let not then your good be evil spoken of: For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." –Romans 14:13-17

Bleaching and Tanning

A repost. As originally published on EV Mail News for the week of October 24-30, 2011.

http://www.evmailnews.com/eastern-visayas-mail-issue-of-october-24-30-2011

This is among the intriguing topics that my friends and I find too irresistible not to talk about. Anything that pertains to culture and the unique ways people do things are always very interesting to talk about. I find it stimulating to dissect different cultures, human beliefs, ways of life and man's similarities as well as our eccentricities.

Since I was a child, learning about other people's lifestyle has always been captivating for me. One of my childhood dreams was to become a sociologist or an archaeologist so I can find out more about the world's old and new civilizations. I think a genuine and noble interest in people's lives is what can help make us become better human beings. In sharing our humanity, telling our personal stories, and to be curious about each others' ways without being judgmental, can help us to grow closer with one another.

I'm going to take on the topic of bleaching and tanning today. My personal knowledge of the bleaching industry, specifically of the whitening products in the Philippines, may already be outdated due to my long absence. But more than 6 years ago, I still remember that Filipinos were fond of bleaching and whitening products. The fondness, if I remember correctly, was almost bordering on obsession.

The "power" to whiten was available everywhere --from the lowly "tawas," a crystal rock made of purified potassium alum which can be ground to powder form, up to the commercial products available in every grocery. I remember using "tawas" directly from its rock form. Probably due to increased demand, a lot of toiletry and cosmetic products started coming out in the market with the added ingredient of "tawas" in them. There were facial washes, astringents, deodorants, body lotions and body wash, all claiming to have the power to whiten. They promised visible results after only days of regular use. The famous tagline I remember from the commercials was, "It gives you a fairer skin with a pinkish glow!" What girl could resist that?

I was normally fairer than most girls in my country (that was then, I’m not too sure about now) due to my mixed heritage but still, I stacked on those products. As I look back now, I honestly can't fully attest to the whitening results the products promised. Maybe I simply don't remember or I didn't take notice of any difference in my appearance. I only hoarded on those products because they were readily available and they were very popular. Besides, everybody was using it, so why shouldn't I? Talk about societal influence! And as for the lowly "tawas," pure from the rock, I can attest to what people say it's supposed to do. I remember how it can truly lighten the skin almost naturally without any side effects.

As for the extreme, I've also heard of bleaching treatments being offered in beauty salons in the Philippines. I've never tried it on myself, and I don't know anyone personally who has tried it, so I can't speak about it fairly. All I know is that it's some kind of a chemical treatment which can lighten the skin to a much fairer complexion. On how much and how often to apply? I've no idea.

I've also heard that once you have started the treatment, you cannot let your skin be exposed to the sun or else a bad reaction will occur which can burn and ruin your skin entirely.

In contrast, our fair-skinned American counterparts are not very fond of their own "whiteness." As opposed to the "obsession" we have for bleaching in the Philippines, the Americans go to the other extreme to tan themselves in beaches, on their own porch or in tanning salons.

There are also various tanning products in the supermarkets here in America. There are the tanning sprays, tanning lotions, tanning oils, bronzing make-ups, darkening creams, and my personal favorite, the age-defying, mega-sizzler, sun-kissed skin toner. Doesn't it make you feel "pale" in comparison?

Most of my American friends tell me how much they love the dark, olive-skinned Asians and Latinas they see in this part of the world more and more these days. I do agree that the Filipino brown skin tone is so gorgeous. I tell my American friends we call it being "moreno" or "morena." I guess whatever brown skin tinge I had before has now been washed away by all the whitening products I doused on me in the past years. Oh well...

I guess the point in talking about these curious but seemingly polar practices is for me to ponder on the truth of human discontent. 

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content" -1 Timothy 6:6-8

"Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD." -1 Chronicles 16:10

"The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever." -Psalm 22:26

It's common for us to feel dissatisfied with what we have now. It's not only true with the color of our skin or the texture of our hair or the shape and color of our eyes, it may also go deeper as how and what the state of our heart is.

Envy, jealousy and covetousness are very real emotions that each of us can relate with. I believe Satan uses these as weapons against us. He whispers lies into our ears to make us believe that we ought to be better, so much better, from how God has created us, and that we deserve only the best in everything. But the real question is, what is the best in everything for us? Do we really know? Or, is what we call the "best" are those that have only been dictated by the world?

When we leave our hearts unguarded even for just a second, we become prone to the attacks of the evil one in the form of greed, dissatisfaction, discontent, unfaithfulness, disloyalty, love of money, and service to mammon. Oh how easily we forget the goodness of the Lord in our life and that the contentment in all His blessings is a great gain in itself.

As I get older, it's my prayer that God will help me to guard my heart from things that can rob me of my satisfaction in Him alone. He is more than enough for me. His grace is sufficient for me through all the days of my life. I know it's easier said than done, so help me God. But it's so much better to aim for godly contentment than to aim for anything lower than that.

"Writings On Water"

A repost. As originally published on EV Mail News for the week of October 17-23, 2011.

http://www.evmailnews.com/eastern-visayas-mail-issue-of-october-17-23-2011

This is the story behind my original blog I named "Writings on Water" or W.O.W. for short.

Water is powerful. It's one of those things that can make or break you, sustain or kill you, can be the best thing for you, or can be bad for you. This is why I love water. It's clear, colorless and odorless yet it tastes good. Our human bodies consist of 60% water while our brains are composed of 70% water.

We float in water while we were still inside our mother's womb and this is why experts say that water is like a second skin for an infant right after it is born. Have you ever heard of water birth? A lot of new mothers are getting into this form of delivery now because experts say it is the most natural way, it's less painful for both the mother and the baby, and the baby's entry into the world is less "traumatic." And even the world we live in is also covered in water --around 70% of our planet is made up of water.

And yet at the same time I also dread water. Especially those huge, bottomless bodies of water, I'm scared of them. I'm scared primarily because I'm not a strong swimmer. I know how to float and swim in shallow waters but oceans, rivers and lakes are out of my league.

And with the onslaught of the industrial and commercial world people are warned to be very careful in what kind of water to drink. We must be absolutely sure where the source is and that it's reliable and safe. Water contamination and toxicity are becoming one of the modern world's growing concerns. These days it doesn't mean that when there is water that we can just drink anytime. Although this latter part is an issue not inherent in water but it has given H2O a bad rap. See what I mean about making and breaking? Water can do that.

On these qualities of water I did dare to name my very first blog after. The writings on my blog are just my own thoughts, my opinions, my feelings and emotions, my beliefs and my upbringing (which as I've previously said is what blogs are for). I'd like to share my own story with anyone and everyone who likes to read and who are willing to listen.

I know my posts can either "make me or break me" but if I don't do what I love and I won't be brave enough to share a part of myself even to strangers, my words and my story will stay within me forever, unknown and unheard. Since it's my wish and my only good intention to share my faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is my Savior and my Lord, it is then my hope that my blog and my writings will be more of Him and about Him and less of me. Every thought I have, all that I do and say, and my life as a whole are all for His glory, I hope. So I pray that at the end of the day my story is pleasing to Him.

"...the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid." -Matthew 14:24-27

To my mind it was also apt to name my blog as Writings On Water since my Savior literally walks on water and by the command of His voice, rain and storms calm down. As a Christian, my ultimate goal is to be more like Jesus every day. We are commanded to imitate Him in all our ways and "to be perfect since our Father in heaven is perfect." This may sound too lofty to even attain in the slightest sense but this is the particular reason why we need God and why we should cling on to Him always, without Him I am nothing.

And lastly, for us Pinoys when we say "to write on water" (ilista nalang muna sa tubig) means to forget everything, ultimately. Everything from other people's offenses and sins, to each of our debts and past hurts, and all the "utang na loob," Filipinos write them on water all the time. So therefore, it's my desire and hope that my blog and all my writings will be forgiven for its misgivings and assumptions, for its errors and hearsay, and for my audacity and "kapal-muks" in sharing my humanity to all. God bless us all!

What Is Your Nickname?

A repost. As originally published on EV Mail News for the week of October 10-16, 2011.

http://www.evmailnews.com/eastern-visayas-mail-issue-of-october-10-16-2011

"And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them." -Exodus 6:2-3

Names are very important. In some cultures, they believe that a person's life, his character and personality, his destiny and future, depend largely on the name given to him at birth. There are also some societies that give names that mean something to their people. No matter where our names come from or in what type of culture or society we live in, people tend to agree that names are very essential and are very dear to the heart.

As I was writing this, I googled the most "unpopular" names for babies. Not surprisingly, no parents in their right minds would call their babies Judas, Demon or Satan. I've never met or known of any parents who would be eager to name their baby as Lucifer, Hades, or even Saddam (this last part is pure speculation on my part, who knows, Saddam may be considered a "hero" by his own family and "friends?").

It doesn't really matter if these parents are godly or not but for some good reason they stay away from these types of names. We love our children too much for us to knowingly "burden" them with names that have negative and evil stigmas that come with it. I'd like to believe that all good parents won't voluntarily bind their children to a "bad name" for the rest of their lives.

We can say that we all agree that names are important but how about nicknames? Are they as important and significant to a person's life journey? Nicknames might not be as essential as our real names (for example, the agents at Customs or in any Immigration office would not bother to ask for your nicknames unless you're known to have an infamous one like "Scar Face"), and yet they are a part of our lives.

To an average person, it is normal to have a number of "pet names" which they have "acquired" throughout the course of his life. For me alone, I've had a few nicknames which I've "gone through" over the years. Some of those nicknames are not in use anymore (for obvious reasons) and some others have been forgotten already and a couple of them may somewhat be "irrelevant" to who I am now. Let me explain.

Parents and adults have the tendency to call babies with "silly," funny names. I guess it comes with the territory. When we take care of little, cute, cuddly miniature human beings, adults can't help but be silly at times. We resort to "baby talk" (the gooh gooh, gaah gaah), excessive cuddling and "panggigigil" (translated as "excessive thrill" or "overly adoration" --sorry this is the closest I can get), and giving babies weird nicknames.

So when I was a baby, some members of my family began calling me Dit-dit. To this day I've no real idea where it came from or what the nickname means. When I went to grade school until I graduated from college, my classmates just called me Mara or Mar, which is perfectly understandable since that is my name after all. When I started working, some of my close friends began calling me Mayang. I love it because I know the people who call me that are very good friends.

In Chicago, my friends at work call me Mara-pooh or Mara-sweet. They are the only people in the world who call me that. Then there is another group of friends who sometimes call me MJ, short for Mara Jean, which is really not my actual name but it sounds right and I love it. There's another friend who calls me Mara-san just for fun (and she's not Japanese in any way). I know that those who call me by these nicknames are some of my great friends. And then of course, I'm just plain Mrs. Dizon or Meldrick's mom to my son's friends and classmates, which is perfectly fine with me.

These are the nicknames I've "earned" through the years and as you can see each one of them has a story attached to it. Each nickname is "tied-up" with a particular group of people that have touched my life one way or the other. So, when somebody calls me Dit-dit (which is very unlikely now), I would know that that person comes way back since my infancy. The only people I personally know who used to call me Dit-dit are my Dad, tita Lalaine Jimenea and my late grandma Corazon (my Dad's and tita Lalaine's mom). To those who know me as Mara Marcos, I'm a hundred percent sure they are from my hometown in Tacloban City. And if I hear someone calling me Mayang here in Chicago, I would truly freak-out because the only people who call me that are hundreds of miles away from me.

These are the stories to my nicknames. You see now why I said that even "pet names" are very important in one's life? Without them, I will never be the Mara I am today, I will be incomplete. All those names are intrinsic parts of my whole being. I'm glad I got to have nicknames which mean something, not only to me but to the people I care about.

"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." -Romans 8:15

"And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." -Galatians 4:6-7

I'm also very happy to learn from God's Word that since I am His child and because He is my Father, He has made me to know His "nickname" and I can call It out anytime I need Him. Abba in the Aramaic language means father. But it does not just simply mean father, it is an address of esteem and is used with deep affection. It's a non-formal way of calling a father with personal intimacy. It can be loosely translated as like calling your earthly father as Itay, Tatay, Daddy, Papa or Dada.

With this endearing term, God has given His children a much more open and a personal access to Him as the same way as to call Him 'Tay or Dy. God wants a closer, meaningful relationship with us that's why even if He is the Almighty, Holy God, Creator of heaven and earth, the King of kings and the Great I AM, He still wants us to call Him Abba, Father. What an amazing grace! This is nothing I deserved at all. I thank God I can call Him Tatay and also for He knows not just my name but all my nicknames too!

A "Night of Hope" in Chicago with Televangelist Joel Osteen

A repost. As originally published on EV Mail News for the week of September 26-October 2, 2011.
http://www.evmailnews.com/eastern-visayas-mail-issue-of-sept-26-oct-2-2011


It was a night of "firsts" for us. For one, we've never been to a huge gathering of Christians before. Second, we've never been to one of the most famous and biggest stadiums in Chicago, the U.S. Cellular Field. It's the "home" of one of Chicago's two baseball teams, the Chicago White Sox. And third, we've never seen "televangelist" Joel Osteen in person.

It was one of the gatherings for his "Night of Hope" tour in America. According to him in his many interviews, a big part of his ministry is to motivate people and to "bring them up." There's just too much "negativity" going around in the world which brings people down but with too little or no encouragement. So it's his hope to motivate and bring people up for a change, he says.

It was a Saturday evening, August 6, and the weather was exceptionally gorgeous that day which lasted all throughout the night. I checked the weather report, it was 77 degrees Fahrenheit, a perfect temperature in Chicago's standards. There was the cool summer air, not a cloud in the sky, not a drop of rain, and when the "concert" began at 7pm, the sun was still out just enough to give some light for us to enjoy the entire surroundings and the beautiful skies. We were in a group with the family of one of my friends from work. It's always fun to hangout with friends outside of the office.

© Copyright, MMD Images, 2011

© Copyright, MMD Images, 2011

© Copyright, MMD Images, 2011

An estimated 25,000 people or more attended the gathering in Chicago. It was particularly a special blessing for me since as I've said I've never been to a huge gathering of believers all in one place before. The U.S. Cellular Field was teeming with people but it was not a scary kind of crowd. Each person has an assigned seat per ticket and there was no bad view anywhere around. Although we can't clearly see the people who were on stage which was set-up in the middle of the field but we can watch them on the big screen TV set right up in front of the crowd from where the concert was being shown live the whole night.

© Copyright, MMD Images, 2011

© Copyright, MMD Images, 2011

© Copyright, MMD Images, 2011

A choir of around 50 people (I'm just guessing because I really didn't count) was on one of the stages in the middle of the field and oh how they can deliver songs of praise! That's how it all began, the cue came from the choir who sang a couple of songs before Joel Osteen came up to the stage and began preaching.

As everyone who knows of him, Joel Osteen is a very good motivational speaker. He is known to draw crowds with his preaching and motivational talks. His home church in Texas boasts of at least 20,000 members. This number does not include those who come by to visit every Sunday. He speaks of his life experiences, and about his family and friends, that tell of the power of God to heal, to restore and on how God moves mightily in people's lives. He talks about how God can make all our dreams come true and how we need to "weed out" the people who bring us down. I also noticed he didn't even have notes that night while he was preaching.

To be fair with my reporting, I also have to mention that there were small crowds of people outside the stadium who were there to protest against Joel Osteen and his ministry. Sadly, some of them are Christians themselves which really doesn't help to promote the cause of Christ with all their protesting. This sort of brought our mood down a little bit. I was thinking that if we Christians can't seem to agree among ourselves, how much more can the "lost" possibly see the truth themselves? This is one of the sad issues we Christians talk about all the time but can't seem to overcome.

There are also some criticism against Joel Osteen that claims that he rarely quotes the Bible when he talks or preaches. This particular critique I've personally witnessed firsthand at the meeting that night and it kind of bothered me, I have to admit. Maybe this is why he has a lot of detractors and critics against his ministry? But I also have to make it clear on here that it's not for me to criticize and it's not my place to "correct" anybody. I'm just reporting what I've witnessed and also to share our family's experience at the concert.

The "service" went on until 11pm and people still didn't want to leave the place. Aside from the praise and worship songs from the choir and the worship leaders, there were several testimonies and life stories from Joel's family --his wife Victoria, his mom Cindy, his brother Paul-- as well as testimonies from his friends. There were also pastors and preachers from different churches in the Chicago land area who came out and got together that night to pray for and claim God's blessings for the city of Chicago.

There were stories of how great God is and how He only wants the best for all of us. It was all about positive talk, more encouragements and motivations, inspirational preaching and how to leave "the past in the past." The concert was aptly called a "Night of Hope," for Chicago and America as a whole, is so in need of the hope that only God can give.

© Copyright, MMD Images, 2011

The gathering ended without any mishap. We went ahead from the thousands of people who were still in the arena but the streets outside were already crowded with people who were walking to their cars, some were heading down to the train station to get a ride, and cars were slowly streaming out of the parking lots. The protesters already went home for the night. It was such a fun night that came with lots of hope and blessings for our family to bring home with.

Blogging

A repost. As originally published on EV Mail News for the week of September 19-25, 2011.

http://www.evmailnews.com/eastern-visayas-mail-issue-of-september-19-25-2011

Blog. Has anyone ever heard of blogging yet? Twenty or even ten years ago, the word blog didn't even exist in our vocabulary let alone in the dictionaries. But today it's one of the newest words people use in the internet.

The online dictionary defines blog as a Web site containing the writer's or group of writers' own experiences, observations, opinions, etc., and often having images and links to other Web sites. Its origins supposedly began between the years 1995 to 2000 when the word weblog was apparently being used to mean a type of online diary that someone makes available to other people on the internet. It was a very popular way to communicate one's personal details without any social interaction. In a sense, it's an online journal or a "public" diary. (These facts in italics are taken from the Online Dictionary: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/blog)

So, is anyone among you blogging yet? Actually, I am. I began blogging about 6 months ago. I've heard of the word once or twice but I've no real idea what it really meant and what it entailed until I began blogging. Oh joy! I truly don't care if nobody else reads my blogs (yes it is with an "s" meaning they are plural!).

By creating, updating and writing for these blogs alone have already given me so much fulfillment and joy. It's more of an outlet for me, for my likes, my emotions, my opinions and my thoughts. I didn't realize that I had so much to share! Great memories come rushing back to me as I think of topics to write week after week. Memory is such a funky thing I now realize. At times, I can't even remember where I've placed my cell phone which I was just using two minutes ago but I can suddenly remember a distant past memory. Doctors call it selective memory. We Filipinos call it "ulyanin."

More importantly, these blogs allow me to write about God, my Lord and my King. Since the day He saved me by His grace, I've got so much to share to anyone who is willing to read and listen. He is everything to me and without Him I am absolutely nothing. It's my hope and prayer that my blogs will "showcase" His greatness and He will be glorified with every word I say on there.

Blogging has now taken so much of my free time. The designing, creating and updating of the sites itself take lots of time and effort. I'm glad that I love doing what I'm doing or else I could have quit just days after I started. It's like another full-time job! It also takes so much energy and effort just to think of what to write and how to compose each piece.

As an amateur writer, I consider it to be "creatively challenging." Maybe I'm just being too hard on myself. Besides if you come to think of it, based on the definitions of blogging, it's just supposed to be a plain journal or another form of a diary, and yet it's totally "glorified" and have been made more complicated to a hundredfold. Please don't misconstrue my meaning here, I'm not complaining at all. As I've said, I love doing it, I love to write and I intend to continue blogging for as long as I can even just to "record" my life story, God's great blessings and His works and more importantly, His infallible truth.

As I got more into this blogging thing much deeper, I've discovered that there is a whole new "world" of blogging on the world wide web that I've never known before. I get to meet fellow writers, bloggers and Christians who serve Him as His "warriors" on the internet. It's absolutely mind-boggling. But I don't recommend your children to be visiting this "blogging world" especially if they are not sure of what they are doing.

As always, parents and responsible adults must always supervise children's online hours. No matter if it's just for homeworks and assignments, for school projects or just for games and leisure. There's too much "unknown" on the internet as you already know, and to be clicking on links and new sites can be very dangerous not only to your children but also maybe to yourself and to your computers.

Computer viruses are rampant from untested and "underground" sites. As I venture into this new "world," I practice sound judgment, practical reasoning, and proper recommendations from trusted bloggers and online friends. And believe me, of all the hundreds of thousands out there I only have a handful of people I can say I truly trust. Half of them I know personally and the other half I just know by name and reputation. Sure, it's an exciting world but caution is still the key to a "healthy blogging."

I’m aware that my son doesn't even read my blogs. I know that he knows that his mom is "blogging" but as a teenager there are more pressing matters that need his attention rather than to read his mom's (lame) blogs. And that's all fine and dandy with me but I hope that as he gets older that he will learn to appreciate my "work" and how I "chronicled" my life in writing.

It's exciting just to think how he will show my grandchildren and his children's children how their Lola made the decision "to serve the Lord and glorify Him with her life." That would be so cool indeed.

My blogs: http://divinelyacquitted.blogspot.com and http:/unoffendablechristian.blogspot.com

Follow me on: Twitter: @SweetenedWaters; Triond: Sweetened Waters; Email: mara.dizon@gmail.com

Citizen Dizon

A repost. As originally published on EV Mail News for the week of September 12-18, 2011.
http://www.evmailnews.com/eastern-visayas-mail-digital-issue-september-12-18-2011


Our journey to become citizens of the United States of America has not been an easy one. But it was not as dramatic or harrowing either, when compared with other immigrants' experiences to attain the "dream" to become officially part of America.

Since we have been granted the "permanent resident" status in the winter of 2004, our family had to wait for five years before we can apply for citizenship. For us, it was the next logical step and the proper decision to make after permanently living in the U.S. all these years. It was not a very difficult decision. In fact, it came easy and naturally.

So we went ahead with the applications and documentations not really knowing for sure how long the whole process would take. We were willing to wait and we were not in a hurry at all. Finally, after a cumulative total of nine months among the three of us, we are now officially new citizens of this great country.

Since we did not submit our applications all at the same time, as a result, my husband and I experienced the oath-taking ceremony three times. The mood at the oath-taking took me by surprise. My assumption of what happens at the ceremony was that it was only for formality's sake, and that it was going to be as boring as any other ceremonies ever invented by man. And that also it was just something of the ordinary and will be sort of routinary. I was wrong.

As I was surrounded by the other new citizens and as I witness names of other countries being called out, like the war-torn nations of Bosnia & Herzegovina, Iraq, Afghanistan, Rwanda and Sudan, and those from the impoverished countries like Haiti, Ethiopia, Somalia, Myanmar and Yemen, I can't help but get choked-up with emotions. I can see people standing up as their countries of origin are called and they have tears of joy and relief in their eyes just for making it to America. Becoming American citizens for these people meant literally life and death for them and their families. When my country, the Philippines, was called out I also can't help but to rise up and stand proud, so glad, and teary-eyed for the wonderful opportunity we have been afforded that day. It was a great day in America.

As my husband's turn to take his oath came, I felt the same ambiance as I did at my own oath-taking. More so, I also got to experience a different side to the story. This time, I was sitting with the families and relatives of all the new citizens. Since I've already witnessed previously among the "oath-takers" on how emotional the ceremony can be, this second time around I got to see how emotional it is also for the families and relatives who were there to witness the momentous occasion. The man sitting next to me, his name is Dave, was literally sobbing when his wife stood up when their country of origin was called. They are from Bosnia & Herzegovina. It was another sentimental and meaningful day in America.

Then it was my son's turn to take his oath. Minor children of American citizens automatically become citizens themselves but they have to take oath if they are 15 years old and above. This part of the story I have to share with everyone but I hope it won't diminish the essence of becoming a part of this great nation. As any responsible reporter would do, I will only be reporting the facts and what I've witnessed the third time around at the oath-taking ceremony. It was planned to be a specific day for the children to take their oath, with some adults who missed their previous appointments. So 95% of those present to be new citizens were teenagers.

It was still a solemn moment but the intensity of emotions was not as palpable as what I've previously witnessed twice before already. Most of those kids were probably raised here in America since at a very young age. Either they were brought here when they were still very young or they have never experienced any hardships like what Dave and his family might have gone through in their origin country.

The kids were not disrespectful at all but I can also see from their faces that they were not elated either. It was just something they had to do because their parents told them to. Most of them wore summer casual clothes. No one among them was crying, that's for sure. The ceremony was short and sweet. Not a lot of hoopla like in the previous ones I've witnessed. Then it was time to go home. I guess I can say it was still a good day in America.

As we know kids will always be kids, no matter where they came from or how they are raised. Teenagers will act as teenagers because that is who they are. But I'm also sure that all of those kids present that day at the ceremony will thank their parents for the wonderful opportunity that was given to them.

I tell my son, he doesn't lose his heritage and his being a Filipino just because of a piece of document. He is only adding another layer to his "colorful" inheritance and legacy which he will pass down to his children and to his children's children. He is now a Filipino-American, which alone is an accomplishment and an added feather to his cap. So after he is done with being a teenager, I'm pretty sure he will look back to the day of his oath-taking and will be proud and thankful.

So, as God is my witness, I still love my country of origin, the Philippines, but I've also come to love America as well. I love everything that's great and good about this country and I hate everything that's bad in it, just like any other good, abiding citizen must feel. And as I continue to learn new things about my adopted country, I will even love it more if all my immediate family were here. That's something we are working on and hoping for the "system" will follow through fairly. So help me God.

Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall

A repost. As originally published on EV Mail News for the week of August 22-28, 2011.

http://www.evmailnews.com/eastern-visayas-mail-digital-issue-august-22-28-2011

I have lived all my life in Tacloban for some 30 years before we left for the U.S. Can you imagine how it feels like to experience winter for the very first time? There's absolutely nothing that can prepare you for it. Reading about it is one thing, looking at it from the movies and through Christmas cards is another, but to be actually in it is something different all together.

Yes, snow is postcard-pretty and winter is beautiful especially during the holidays and at Christmas time. It's synonymous with Christmas trees, gifts, red ribbons and silver bows, caroling, hot chocolate with marshmallows, cozy evenings, warm blankets, and a fireplace (if you have one). It's always fun to play in the snow but it's most enjoyable for kids rather than for the "oldies."

In Chicago, nicknamed as the Windy City, a mere 30 degrees Fahrenheit on winter (that's negative 1.1 degrees Celsius) may translate, with the brutal wind chill, to a negative 10 degrees Fahrenheit (or, -23.3 degrees Celsius)! The only way I can describe it for you who live in the tropics is this way --it's like eating ice candy inside a huge freezer with an electric fan turned on high and you're soaking wet to the bones. There.

For me, part of the excitement of winter is the anticipation of the coming springtime. It's one of the attractive qualities of Chicago and the Illinois state as a whole. Despite its infamous weather, we do get to experience all the four seasons God has created so wonderfully. Yeah sure, some Chicagoans may say, and they take this fact for "granted" since according to them we don't get any proper spring in the first place. Whatever they mean by "proper" I really don't know. All I know is that once the snow and ice of winter start to melt, the green grass and the foliage on trees begin to appear and the tulips are abloom, that's spring for me!

Tulips always mean springtime. They are very lovely and delicate flowers. When it's too cold they wilt and when it's too hot they get scorched. It's when the temperature is just right that they bloom perfectly.

After springtime comes summer of course. It's still my top favorite season. Some habits are just hard to break. Summer still brings back great memories of my childhood and my life back in the Philippines. It's the season for picnics and barbecues, of beaches and sunburns, of clear blue skies and long evening walks, of ice cream and a bowl of super special halo-halo!

This is the season to be out of the house and enjoy the warmth for as long as we can because it is short-lived in this part of the world. One of my favorite pastimes is to hang-out in the parks where there are so many activities going on all summer. There are free concerts, free movies, and there is the free grass, sky, air and benches to lounge around on a lazy, breezy afternoons and even on evenings. I wish summers are endless in Chicago but the downside of that is I wouldn't be able to experience the wonders of autumn. Fall, as this season is also called, is my next favorite.

Fall is when God brings out His palette of tremendous, vibrant colors of dark reds, maroons, pinks, browns, golden yellows, bright oranges, dark greens, and different hues of burgundy, mahogany, magenta, and gold. Autumn is another magnificent thing I've never seen before in my life until we came to Chicago. And also, there is absolutely nothing that can prepare you for this glorious season.

Fall is synonymous with pumpkins and gourds, squash and sweet potatoes, berries, apples, pears, pomegranates, allspice, vanilla and cinnamon. All the great and rich foods fresh from the farm become available in autumn maybe in preparation for Thanksgiving, an all-American holiday celebrated every fourth Thursday of November.

Although Thanksgiving is an American tradition going back to the time of the Pilgrims who celebrated it for the first time with some American Indians thanking God for helping them survive a most brutal winter and yet it is a celebration everybody can relate with and which they can do it in their own way. There's simply too much to be grateful for but we offer too little thanks to the One to whom it's due. Thanksgiving is a tradition our own family has adopted, as well as for the millions of multicultural families in America.

The next big celebration after Thanksgiving is Christmas, one of my favorite holidays next to Resurrection day or Easter. Needless to say, winter has taken its full turn by this time of year. Christmas takes on a life of its own because of winter. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are doubly special when there is fresh snow outside.

This wonderful holiday, with the pristine white snow blanketing almost everything, makes winter bearable. Although December 25 is not the actual birth date of Jesus Christ, I'm pretty sure He wouldn't mind for us celebrating it with some flair and a little pomp. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords after all.

"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." -Psalms 51:7 

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." -Isaiah 1:18

You know how we understand some things but when "re-learned" in a different perspective it brings out a much deeper, more valuable meaning? I've only fully comprehended these previous verses from the Bible when I saw snow with my very own eyes. That's how white, clean and pure I look in the eyes of God, not because of who I am or what I have done but only because of the cleansing blood of Jesus completely covering me. 

Winter, spring, summer or fall, as the song goes, but I will put my personal spin on it… all we have to do is call on God. He is our friend for every season. And up to now, I still love the four beautiful seasons of Chicago and I don't think I will ever get tired of it.

Concerts at the Park

A repost. As originally published on EV Mail News for the week of August 15-21, 2011.
http://www.evmailnews.com/eastern-visayas-mail-digital-issue-of-august-15-21-2011


One of the many reasons why I fell in love with Chicago is its "obsession" with having well-maintained, beautiful and accessible public parks everywhere in the city. The fact that I can sit down and relax at these parks with no one to bother me and with free concerts to go with it's simply perfect.

I love the clear skies, the ample grass to stretch out on and the clean air. Summers are extra special in Chicago because we only get to enjoy this season for at least four months in a year. Thousands of tourists flock to the Windy City to participate in the endless enjoyment of activities. The park alone is more than enough for me.

I'm very thankful that I work near the Millennium Park, one of the newest, sleekest and most modern parks in the city. Located in the heart of downtown "Loop," it's bustling with energy and people. Did I already mention the free concerts? How I love those too!

There are classical, the opera, the symphony orchestra performances, there's jazz, African and Latin American music, and these are only few of the wide array of choices in concerts we have here each week. To top it all, we get to enjoy these wonderful events until later into the night since daylight is much longer in summer. People are still out enjoying their picnics, outdoor gatherings, or just simply lounging around even at 8 in the evening.

And let me tell you about these concerts and performances at the park. They are never mediocre. The artists and the musicians are the crème de la crème. The orchestra and the bands are the best in the industry. They may not possess the celebrity status afforded to those who are popular in Hollywood and yet to the hundreds of concert-goers in the park and for those who know what good music is, these performers are "rock stars."

Every show and each performance is teeming with skill, talent and heart. It's impossible for the audience not to be moved by such talent and vigor in front of them. No matter that it's for free. Still, these are world-class performances and a display of extraordinary talents.

My "backyard" and my "lunch room" in the Millennium Park, as I call it, is just a block away from my office. Every break time I get, I go straight to the park and find me a bench to sit, relax, eat my lunch, read my book, watch people, or just simply enjoy a gorgeous Chicago weather. Most of the time, it gets so difficult to go back to work after an hour of pure lunch bliss. Oh well, I just tell myself that I get to do it again the next day and until summer is over.

It's a tremendous feeling to be able to appreciate the beauty of creation in nature. I've never felt like this before especially when I was younger. I felt I was invincible back then and that I can never do anything wrong. I was so selfish it makes me want to slap my teenage self right now. I also used to think 40 years old was old! But now, 65 years old is looking pretty good.

This new-found appreciation I have for all blessings might be stemming out of "getting older syndrome" but how I wish I've always felt this way. It's almost unbearable to think of all those wasted years when I didn't see life with these "renewed" and "grateful" eyes. Even the simple chirping of birds, the soft rain, the trees and the flowers, a nice weather, and especially on sunny days, they all make me so glad and thankful to be alive.

Am I turning into a wimp and a sentimental dreamer? I hope not. I guess I'm only beginning to realize how much I've missed by not appreciating and loving every moment of life. The Bible says all God's works and creation are marvelous. All that comes from Him is good. So there's no reason for me not to regard those things with a positive attitude.

"Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened." -Romans 1:19-21

Now, when I look at nature and enjoy all of God's creation, I'd like to believe that I see God's face. It may not be a literal face but I know that He has His "stamp" on it, and most especially, He has His image in all of humanity. And how do I know this for sure? Because He says so in the Scriptures. He created man in His own image and through all things that He has made, people have absolutely no reason nor any excuse to say that we can't know that He exists.

I may be turning into a "wimp" in the eyes of some people but I wouldn't trade these real, heart-warming feelings of appreciation, contentment and thankfulness that God has allowed me to experience. I might be a wimp but I'd rather be a blessed, contented wimp than an ungrateful, thankless one. And maybe, just maybe, my appreciation and enjoyment of all simple things might be contagious.