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.