"Asin" (Salt)

As submitted to EV Mail News for publication.


"For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another." -Mark 9:49-50


One of the many things I miss the most in the Philippines and one that is very hard to find here in Midwest America (that's where we live right now) is salt water. No not the kind we use for cooking or brining because that would be easy to make. I'm talking about a whole large body of salt water. The seas! The oceans! The salt-water beaches of Leyte and Samar! Those I miss so much right now.

We have beautiful lakes and fresh water rivers here in Illinois but they are kind of bland, so to speak. Our beaches in the city of Chicago are fresh-water though how fresh is kind of questionable sometimes. Ha! But they're way so much better than our Ilog Pasig in Manila for sure.

Salt water supposedly has some healing powers. I remember from my childhood when my elders especially my grandmothers used to tell me that the beach is the place to go when someone is being plagued with some kind of disease or illness that baffle even the medical doctors or from any type of rash or skin malady or body aches and pains and arthritis, the salt water of our beaches is the key ingredient for the treatment.

Their prescription for cure: just soak once or twice a day for a month or two and you will feel like a brand new person after that. I've no idea if this is true because I don't remember getting healed from any kind of disease. All I remember is having fun at the beach with family and friends, riding the waves no matter that I already looked like a roasted pig due to too much sun and with the taste of salt water on my lips that lasted for days. Those were fun days indeed!

But the news of the healing powers of salt water seem to continue to spread around the world. The Dead Sea (which is actually a salt lake) bordering Jordan and Israel in the Middle East is well known for its supposed healing powers. The Sea has continually attracted millions of visitors from around the world for hundreds of years. It is known to be a place of refuge even for King David of the Old Testament Bible. Various diseases afflicting mankind are said to get healed when people soak in its salty waters. But I guess visitors are more likely to float than soak in those salty waters due to its very high salinity and density levels.

Another thing for which salt is of importance is cooking. Food definitely tastes so much better with salt. Even in baking pastries a pinch of salt is needed in order to enhance the flavor of the cakes. No one likes to eat bland food and I'm pretty sure Filipinos are on top of that list.

We love the tasty, flavorful, very rich and sometimes very salty food. Salt has always been a part of the Filipino diet and sometimes it's even way too much part of it that we find out too late about the adverse consequences to our health. But I'm not even gonna talk about the side effects for now. All I can say is that everything and anything extreme is always bad and that includes salt. A pinch goes a long, long way and a dash can make any meal palatable just don't go overboard.

The reason I wanted to write about salt today because aside from the truth that I suddenly have a craving to swim in salt water and how it reminds me that I miss "home" but also as a Christian I have been compared to salt by my Savior. This got me to thinking about the properties of salt, the healing powers of salt water, the need humans have for salt in our food, etc.

It's such a lowly mineral and what a seemingly insignificant matter from earth. It's just a microscopic speck but what an impact it has on our lives! That's salt to you. And that's what Christians are supposed to be here on earth according to God. We ought to have some sort of an impact in the world, in our communities and in other people's lives. We are the salt of the earth. We are commanded by God to be "salty" and to have some "flavor" towards others. Our lives, our stories, and our testimonies in Jesus must take some form of "saltiness" so that we can glorify our Father in heaven.

"Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid." -Matthew 5:13-14

10 "Filipino Ways" I'm Not Too Proud Of...

A repost. As originally published on EV Mail News.


I do realize that I might be putting a brick to my head the moment I decided to write about this 10 things today. I know I don't have any right to judge nor to point any fingers at anyone because I can be judged right back. And that pointy finger I use? It's much dirtier than anybody else's.

And yet it is my hope that this article will not be considered as judgmental nor should it be taken as something written in stone. We're just having some fun here. There might be some tinge of truth to some of the things on the list so it's my intention to use these truths to help ourselves change and become "better people."

I've realized a long time ago that nobody is perfect but at the same time I've also understood the need of accountability and the essence of checks and balances among us. If only we will commit to do what is right, to maintain integrity at all times and make ourselves accountable to the highest of standards, this world will be a much better place. Sadly, not all people think this way. We have a long way to go. I have a long way to go. God's standards in my life are a given but it doesn't mean I'm perfect. It only shows how much I need Him every day because I'm too messed up.

So with this 10 things article today, I hope that we will all have a good time with it and maybe, just maybe, we will think about some of what's on the list that truly hits home, then hopefully and prayerfully, we can make a decision to change.

So here we go:

1.) "Crab Mentality." I've never exactly understood what this phrase mean. I remember learning it in school. Even the famous books of Jose Rizal (the "Noli" and the "Fili") this negative mentality has been condemned and trashed. One thing I do know, it is something bad. And it's supposedly something Filipinos do a lot to put down others. In my research, "crab mentality" is defined as "a type of thinking in which a person tries to pull others down if he or she can't get ahead." Do I need to say more? Don't you think we need to get rid of this kind of behavior quick?

2.) Procrastination and tardiness. Filipino time, really?! Is there even such a thing? It's just a made up excuse to be late all the time and be disrespectful towards others. There! I got it off my chest. I hate being late and I also don't appreciate other people being late at my expense. We all have the same 24 hours, don't we? As my Pastor in Tacloban said: "Plan to be on time and you will always be late but plan to be early and you will be on time." A basic truth that has been very helpful to me ever since.

3.) "Crowding around." I'm not particularly a fan of big crowds especially the rowdy, boisterous, rude kinds. I try to stay away from those at all times. There's nothing that’s too important for me to join or to buy, or to watch, if the whole city is in "it," pushing and shoving. Some Filipinos are sometimes fond of crowding especially if there's some kind of a panic buying mode or a craze that we wanna be a part of. Ever since I've experienced the "respect my space" mentality here in America, the more I get nervous about too much crowding. If you can tell that I have big pores on my face, you're way too close.

4.) Gossiping. I guess this one is not "exclusive" to Filipinos. It's a favorite pastime for all people, period. But for some odd reason, Filipinos have quite mastered the "art." Even here in America, Filipino groups still have the tendency to split up and quarrel due to excessive gossiping. In a way I'm glad I'm the only Filipino on my floor at work because all the Filipinos on the other floors have rifts due to gossiping. "Nakakahiya." "Makaarawod hin duro."

5.) Driving skills. What driving skills? Are you kidding me? I think the Philippine roads are a "blank canvass" of a "no-holds-barred" style of driving. I was too scared to cross the streets in Manila when we went back for a vacation after 5 years of being away, too scared that I refused to get out of the house without a car and a very good driver that came with it.

6.) "Non-unity." Ooh, this one is huge! "Bato-bato sa langit, ang tamaan 'wag magagalit!" Living in a foreign land can be very traumatic. It can be a scary and lonely experience especially when you're alone, with no family or old friends around and when homesickness kicks in with a vengeance. Those are the times we need to feel at home away from home. It's this time when we long for some kababayan bonding. But sadly, even though we are a "minority" in foreign lands but with the staggering numbers of Pinoys abroad we’d think that we would have some semblance of a "force to be reckoned with" as a group but in Chicago alone I don't know any Filipino organizations that have a strong influence in the society.

7.) "Takaw-mata." We usually want more in life than we can handle. And we want what we can't have and we want what others have. "I will buy all the i-gadgets even though I can't afford it because that's what everybody has, even though it will cause me to wallow in debt." "Bahala na bukas." This is mostly the kind of mentality I encounter among our kababayan here. And more often than not, we are in denial about it.

8.) Exclusivity. This is sort of a personal experience for me anywhere I go here in America where there are Filipinos who don't know me. Pinoys usually flock together and tend to socialize with our own race alone. And there's nothing wrong with that, it only becomes wrong when we shun other people based on the color of their skin or based on the language they speak. Just because I look different from the "average" Filipino, I've often been a victim of "unknowing discrimination" from my own kababayan. How do I know? Because I understand what they're saying about me when they think I’m not one of them. It was fun at first but it gets really annoying as it happens more and more.

9.) Traveling "heavy!" This one is funny. We love to travel with all our possessions (as much as possible). Maybe I'm exaggerating here but our baggage include: our favorite pillows, blankets, favorite (smelly) foods, fruits and vegetables (because they're fresh-er), pasalubong, our favorite tsinelas, socks, all our toiletries including shampoo, conditioner, facial wash, sabon, body lotion, hand lotion, deodorant, moisturizers, astringents, toothbrush, toothpaste, cologne, perfume, ap-ap solution, whitening products, tiger balm, white flower, aciete de manzanilla, our pet dogs, cats, the chickens, and maybe some eggs. Ok, ok… I know this is becoming a ridiculous list but you see the point. And by the time we get through Customs, half of our stuff are confiscated and thrown away! Duh.

10.) Holding grudges "'til death do us part." We do this all the time. When asked why we're not speaking to somebody we can't even remember the reason for the quarrel. We just want to carry those grudges to keep us burdened and miserable. We love to "hurt" other people by not speaking to them or caring about their life not knowing that we hurt ourselves more by holding grudges. Remember, emotional stress and keeping hard feelings can kill you!

10 Things I Love About Chicago

A repost. As originally published on EV Mail News for the week of April 16-22, 2012.
Link: EV Mail News (Digital Version)

Since I will be staying in Chicago for a very long time, I might as well count my blessings and appreciate the great things that my new home city has to offer, right?

So here it is… I've listed down 10 things that I love about Chicago. And while I was thinking of what to include in the list, there's no surprise that I’ve ended up with more than 10 things. How can you put the things you love (or like so much) into just one short list? But since I've promised that I will write the “10-thing series” for this column, and since I'm a person of my word, 10 things it’s gonna be.

Chicago is a great city, and not only because of the “superficial” things tourists see when they come to visit, but also because of the wonderful “unseen” and every day things we get enjoy and experience. I guess my perspective on this subject can be considered as "biased," ever since I've began to call this place as my own. A perspective coming from the heart always changes everything.

But of course, I wouldn't even pretend and say that this is the greatest city in the world because everything here is fine and dandy, for I'll be lying. As in any other places, there will always be problems. There are unresolved issues and not everybody can be pleased. Chicago is not exempt or immune to that. There are also the negative and the bad things that happen here just like everywhere else. But this article today is not about those bad things. I chose to focus on the things I love, the ones I like so much, which are beautiful, wonderful and great.

You might think that I’m contradicting myself on some points on the list, but I beg to disagree. You have to read between the lines. For example with the commute, I know I said I love the 10-15 minutes commute I used to have in the Philippines before but I also love the commute here in Chicago considering that I don’t have to drive long hours or to contend with traffic. I love the best of both worlds, I guess.

And oh, these so-called wonderful things are the rules. You know what they say about rules --they are made to be broken, or whatever. For every rule, there’s always an exception. There will always be the wayward number of people who simply can’t or won’t follow the rules. Their number will always be in the minority.

So let’s begin, shall we?

(1.) Traffic. What traffic? This opinion comes from someone who has seen traffic at its worst. Ok maybe not the worst, but one of the worst in the world. Actually, it’s one of the top ten, to be exact. Yes, that’s how Manila traffic is ranked today. Not a good place to be but it’s the reality. That’s why I say that traffic (what traffic?) in Chicago is actually heaven for people like me. Cars actually stop (literally!) for pedestrians over here. It’s the law. When the sign says stop, drivers do stop, even when the police are not around. Also, drivers normally don’t change lanes just because.

(2.) Commute. I don’t drive here in Chicago, not because I don’t want to, it’s just that I don’t have the need for it. I travel by train and by bus everywhere and anywhere in the city. And I’m only speaking here about Chicago’s public transportation since it’s the one I have experience with. I’m not too sure about the other major cities in America. In Chicago, I can almost go anywhere in the city without the need to drive. Our public transportation system here is comprehensive and connected all the way.

(3.) Snow. Although I’ve already mentioned in my past articles that winter and the freezing weather are not my absolute favorites but still I can’t deny it, I do love the snow, especially the fresh, light coating of the first, new snow of winter. It’s always glorious. No words are enough to describe it or to express how it makes me feel. Simply spectacular.

(4.) Spring and autumn. Oh, these seasons are two of my favorites. Again, there are not enough words to express how these seasons make me feel. Refreshing, eternal hope and a new promise are only some of the words I can think of to describe spring. And autumn, oh where do I begin? All the grandeur and magnificence of God’s creation come together in time for “fall.” The deep, rich colors and the crisp chill in the air that’s just perfect. I can live with spring and autumn anytime.

(5.) Inexpensive food. This is one of the things that make this nation great. No matter how a family may not be able to have a car or luxury items, especially at this economic downturn, but at least food is aplenty and inexpensive. Of course, as anywhere else, there will be places where food can be a luxury in itself and will cost you arm and leg, but I’m talking about the every day, regular food. As I’m looking at my bills and receipts right now, food and grocery items are always the least amount in them.

(6.) Public parks. If you remember, I wrote an entire article for this column about our parks here in Chicago. (Please see EV Mail News issue for the week of August 15-21, 2011 for my article “Concerts at the Park.”) They’re great!

(7.) The "American" way of having disagreements. I admire most Americans on this. They do know how to argue, have debates, disagreements and exchange of words, but I’ve never seen them hold a grudge (openly) forever and ever after. But I won’t pretend to know what’s in their hearts and minds nor will I say convincingly that they actually don’t have any hard feelings after such disagreements. All I’m talking about is what I see among my network of people and what I’ve personally experienced. This perception is coming from a Filipino who has seen open and evident grudges among family and friends in the Philippines being paraded around at no end.

(8.) Thinking "green." No, this is not about the money. And no, this is also not about the Filipino way of thinking "green." This is living in an “environmentally friendly” way. Honestly, I’m not too big on recycling or in “saving the earth” movement (I ought to be ashamed of myself, I know) but I like how Chicago is going in that direction. Less pollution, no smelly garbage lying around (most of the time) which means no rats (I hope), clean waters and clean air in the city.

(9.) The "1-2-3" way of life. If we say “1-2-3” in the Philippines, it has the negative connotation of doing things improperly, ineffectively and poorly. In other words, the “1-2-3” of doing things for Filipinos is the "haw-syaw" way. That's not what I mean here. Let me explain. Americans have a knack of doing things step by step. When we buy furniture or a small appliance, they come with a manual that has the “1-2-3” steps for us to follow from its assembly to the usage. For the most part, everything has a place and there’s a place for everything. American corporations are continually coming up with ways on how to make our lives easier. You have a new packaged food you haven’t tried yet? Check out the instructions, there’ll be a “1-2-3” way to do it. A new patio set? Read the manual, it’s easy as 1-2-3!

(10.) Living the "American dream." The American dream is this --as long as you work hard and dream big, America will give you the opportunity and the way to achieve them. My family is a living proof to this. We came here with almost nothing --no house, no car, no possessions, no friends, and no jobs-- but look at where we are right now. It wasn’t very easy at first but I’m a believer in hard work and God’s rewards. Thank God for His abundant blessings indeed!

10 Things I Miss the Most from the Philippines

A repost. As originally published on EV Mail News for the week of April 2-8, 2012.

Link: EV Mail News (Digital Version)

When some things that are very important to us become suddenly lost or just not around anymore, that's the time when we finally realize how much we miss and love those things (and people). That's exactly what happened to me when I first left my homeland after more than 30 years of living there, when my family and I were suddenly "uprooted" and transferred to Chicago.

It was some kind of a whirlwind situation for us that I didn't even have the time or the comprehension to grasp what was happening and what it really meant for us. As for me, as long as my family is together, it doesn't matter what journey we had to embark, or where ever God would allow us to be. At this time, we’re in Chicago and that's that.

And yet, this doesn't mean that I don't miss my life back "home" in Tacloban. Now that we've settled in Chicago well enough, I have more time and the needed peace to think over and ponder what has transpired in the past (almost) 7 years of our lives. Too many words have been left unsaid to friends and family back home; so many things to be done that are neglected now, or have been taken for granted, since I've never really thought that we would be leaving the Philippines.

And how about the countless great things from my homeland that we’ve left unappreciated and un-enjoyed? With the power (and maybe the curse) of hindsight and afterthought, I would have loved to explore and enjoy my country more in the past 20 years of my life if only I've known I’d be missing it so much now.

As promised, here’s one of the articles for my "10 Things-series" that I've talked about in my previous article. This is a bit of nostalgic and bittersweet; I hope you’ll all bear with me.

(1.) The warm, summerlike weather all-year round. I know that one of the most exciting things to look forward to in coming to America is to experience winter, snow and cold for the first time. But I'm sorry to say that even though snow can be pretty, fun (for kids) and heart-warming especially during the holidays, winter can get old so quick. Just like how I've taken for granted the beautiful, warm climate in the Philippines all my life and now I want it back! I've come to realize that I can live with warm weather anytime rather than have winter for 5 (or more) months a year.

(2.) Summer outfit, sandals and "tsinelas" (flip-flops). Of course, with the summer-like weather comes the short-sleeves, pedal pushers, skirts, summer dresses and sandals. My toes get cramped with thick socks, closed shoes and boots for too long. (Sigh.) I guess that's why we love our summers here in Chicago too much because we know how short and fleeting it can be.

(3.) The "greeneries" and flowers everywhere. Winter time can be gloomy and sad sometimes. What with all the "dead" trees, shrubs and no flowers (except in the flower shop). I don't care now if all the forest of plants, shrubs, grasses and coconut trees in the Philippines bring bugs and insects. I'd rather have green around me than gloom. I may be exaggerating quite a bit here but I think you know what I mean.

(4.) The beaches, sand and salt water. Oooh, how I love and miss the beaches back home! We do have a huge lake here in Chicago (Lake Michigan) and a very long river (Chicago River) but there's nothing like salt water and beach sand. I miss the way the specks of our black sand in San Jose, Tacloban twinkle under the sun. Again, I guess we miss what we don't have anymore.

(5.) The short commutes, jeepneys, tricycles and "pedicabs." I go to work everyday by train (with a short walk) and I'm thankful that I don't have to drive and no traffic to contend with. But (here's that but again!) the train ride takes about 40 to 45 minutes one-way and I'm stuck on the train for 1 hour and 30 minutes everyday. That's 7.5 hours a week, almost a day in my computation! Oh well, I guess it's not that bad. I just miss the 10 to 15 minute commute I had to make to work when I was in Tacloban, then I can go home everyday for lunch, too! (Sigh again.)

(6.) The food! And that brings us to the food. Do I need to say more? I know how we get tired of our everyday Filipino food sometimes that we might have a craving for a "McDo" burger or a Japanese sushi once in a while but imagine having no Filipino delicacies and specialties the whole year round! (Like the chocolate moron, binagol, "law-law," ginamos, "buraw nga bulad," or my Mama's famous Carabao "beef" steak.) Oh my, my. my..... I'm drooling just about right now.

(7.) The "malling" experience. For some reason, malls in America have a different feel and ambiance to them compared to the ones in the Philippines. Although I really didn't go much "malling" in the Philippines except when we were in Manila every Christmas season to be with my husband's family, and yet I miss the Filipino way of "malling." We do mall in style! Even if it’s just to cool off from the heat outside. (LOL)

(8.) Siestas, "istambay" and "pahuway." Do I need to elaborate on this? I feel that I've been deprived of pure relaxation and "real" vacation for almost 7 years now. Oh, that's not counting the one time we went home to the Philippines for an "almost-a-month" of vacation 3 years ago. That was great! I need more of those please.

(9.) One word: Alice. Ever since I can remember right after I got married, we've had Alice in our life in Tacloban. She's not just a nanny to my son nor a helper at our home. She's family. She helped me with household chores and endless domestic errands while I worked full-time. She took care of Meldrick just like any mother would. She cried when we left for Chicago, I bawled. Now, I'm left alone with everything --working full-time, taking care of my husband and son (not that I'm complaining), the cooking, cleaning, scrubbing, dusting, vacuuming and "attacking" the endless pile of laundry and ironing every week. Whew! It's now more than ever that I appreciate what Alice did for our family.

(10.) Family and friends. And of course, what is life like without family and close friends? It would be like going through the motions of life but not actually living it. I miss them so much. I miss the weekly fellowships we had at friends' homes, sharing a meal, playing games, having Bible studies, laughing and crying together, loving and growing together. I miss my parents, siblings, nephews and nieces, and cousins no matter how frustrating and "hair-pulling" stressful they can be sometimes. That's what family is all about, right? That's what they are there for, to make our life "miserable" yet full of joy, full of "drama" yet we’re filled with inexplicable fulfillment when they’re around. How I miss them so.

"10 Things"

A repost. As originally published on EV Mail News for the week of March 19-25, 2012.

Link: EV Mail News (Digital Version)

Ever since I've written the "10 (Unsolicited) Advices for Teenagers" (see EV Mail News issue for January 23-29, 2012), I can't get over the fact that I've really, really enjoyed writing that article. I'm not sure if any of the readers enjoyed it too but I loved writing it. It was an easy-breezy for me. I actually finished writing that article in just one sitting and I was laughing the whole time. For the most part, I was imagining my son while I wrote each of those 10 advices. I can vividly picture his facial expressions and eye-rolling. Kids! I can't get enough of him but sometimes teenagers can really wear down any parent, even the best of the best among us.

But I didn't write this article today to reminisce on that previous one. I'm introducing to you the "10 Things Series" for my column. Since I've enjoyed writing the previous "10 Advices," I plan to write more "10 Things" in the future. I will vary it once in a while of course, but I'd love for you to join me in the countdown of several 10 things in my world. The possibility is virtually endless! 10 favorite things, 10 worst things, 10 most beautiful "whatever" things, 10 most annoying "whatever" things, and so on and so forth. I can't wait to get started, but not today though. This is just an introduction remember?

For some unknown reason, I’m an organizer. I'm a planner and I'm a manager. I love to have things in order, like from 1 to 10, if possible. Sometimes my husband teases me that my "neatness" and orderliness can come about as "obsessive-compulsive (OC)" at times. Take note that I placed the word neatness in quotes because I don't consider myself as neat, I'm just organized. Big difference.

A number of people in my life have already taken noticed of my "organizational abilities." Even with my household chores when I was still in the Philippines were "categorized" by day, per week, and according to importance. But wait, I'm not done yet. Those chores were also listed on paper. I actually had that list on my refrigerator door for my "assistant/nanny" Alice to follow each week.

One of my Pastors in Tacloban saw that list one time when he came by our home for a Bible study with my husband (we were newly married then) and he commented on my being "organized" based on that list. I was so proud of myself then but thinking back now, um, I think it was a little bit over the top.

I still do my lists until now. I have them on my PDA, my cell phone and on my computers (work and home), but I still love to write my to-do-lists on paper. I guess old habits are hard to break. And as I "mature" in age, I found out the hard way that remembering things in my head alone doesn't work that effectively anymore. I can't escape it, I do need those electronic and paper reminders more than ever.

The thing about those lists is that I do follow them strictly. It seems like my day is not complete and I feel I haven't really done anything constructive if I haven't at least checked-off half of my to-do list. I'm a creature of habit and I can't help it if I follow a list to help remind me of “very important” things I need to do, and then to actually do them. What's the point of having a list if not to do it, right?

So for now, one of my to-do things for today is to finish this article and email it. Check! Then I have to begin with that next article of "10 Things" so I can share with you my "OC-iness." Get it?

And as a follower of Christ, one of the "10 Things" that is very important in my life is the 10 Commandments given by God to Moses as recorded in the Old Testament. I know that as Christians we don't live under those Laws anymore in order for us to be right with God because we are under God's grace through faith in Jesus, and we're not judged under the Law. But as Christians we still have the obligation to follow and obey God because we love Him.

"(1)Thou shalt have none other gods before me.

(2)Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

(3)Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

(4)Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee. Six days thou shalt labor, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou. And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

(5)Honor thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

(6)Thou shalt not kill.

(7)Neither shalt thou commit adultery.

(8)Neither shalt thou steal.

(9)Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbor.

(10)Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbor's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbor's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbor's." -Deuteronomy 5:7-21 (The numberings are mine.)

Me, My Camera, and the City

A repost. As originally published on EV Mail News for the week of February 27-March 4, 2012. 

Link: EV Mail News (Digital Version)

It's as if I'm not already very busy as it is right now, I've actually added another project for myself to work on. I've recently "launched" my very first photo blog on the internet. I call it "Water Reflections." I'm really, really very excited about this project but I sometimes think that I must really be crazy for doing this to myself. Adding extra work to my already full and "overflowing" schedule? Oh yes, my screws up there are quite loose for sure! Oh well, but I love doing it and I'm enjoying what I'm doing for a change. It doesn't feel like it's another job that I have to "tackle" just for the sake of tackling it. So why limit and deprive myself with such a creative and fun "artistic" outlet? This will be a treat for me and I will call this new photo blog my "guilty pleasure." I'm allowed to spoil myself sometimes, am I not? And this is all going to work out, I promise.

Speaking of working out, in one of my "blog surfing" on the web, I happened to stumble upon a blog saying that said: "For every successful blog, there is a family (or a husband) less fed behind it," or something like that. That is just too funny! Funny for me until my husband saw it. He actually put a limit to my blogging time. The nerve! I only do my blogging when everything has been scrubbed clean and sparkling, and the table has been set with my delicious cooking! Uh okay, the delicious part may be a little bit of an exaggeration, but it's true, I don't blog the whole day. I've found a "system" that works for me so I'm able to maintain all my four blogs. Four, you say? Yes, four. See, I told you I was crazy!

Since I already have the "water" pattern for my writing "projects," beginning with this column here on EV Mail (Sweetened Waters) and then my "original" first blog (Writings on Water) so I just continued the pattern with the new photo blog (Water Reflections). This photo blog, as the name suggests, is a website for my photos which I want to share with the world. It's open to the public. Anyone can access it and everyone is invited to enjoy the featured photos. As you all know, I'm walking a lot these days as some form of exercise so, I might as well enjoy the strolls by taking everything in and by recording the sights I see through the lens of my camera. I'm a pathological photo-taker, what can I do?

Let me tell you about the sights. I've seen some pretty incredible things on my walks. Sometimes I wish I was more bold and aggressive in taking pictures just like the paparazzi we see on TV and on tabloid magazines, but I'm simply not. I’m just too bashful for that kind of job. I hate to step into anyone's toes (literally and figuratively), I hate to offend anyone, and I dread to cross the invisible line of what’s appropriate.

I have some examples to show you when moments come up that I wish I was more aggressive in my picture-taking. One was when an Asian lady accidentally dropped all her money from her coat pocket while walking in downtown Chicago. I just happen to be walking behind her at that time. As you know, Chicago is a very windy city so needless to say I had to help that poor lady pick up all her paper bills from all over the place. If I were a calloused, uncaring photo-taker just for the sake of my photo blog, I would have taken pictures of the commotion around me instead of running wildly after those wind-blown money.

Another example was when a person with an incredible Mohawk haircut, stretched to its full length with some super hold hairspray and his whole head was dyed neon blue, walked right in front of me at a pedestrian red light. If I were not too shy, I would have whipped out my camera and took photos of him. I don't think he would have mind. I'm guessing he would have been flattered by my delight and interest in his hair but I simply couldn't do it. My feet were stuck to the pavement and I just couldn't stop staring wide-eyed at that marvelous hair! And then he was gone. Say goodbye to an interesting photo subject. My chance has slipped away. Maybe next time?

Another photographic moment is when it's a gorgeous day in Chi Town and the sun is shining brightly that its rays are hitting a beautiful skyscraper at a certain "artistic" angle but the same moment passes by so quickly. I need to be more quick and alert with my camera on hand when such things happen. They are so fleeting and ephemeral that when they're gone, they're gone forever. I know the sun will shine again, I know its rays will hit the same skyscraper again but the original moment, the feeling I had when I first saw it is now gone.

That's why I love taking pictures. They not only capture a certain moment, it takes you back to that specific time, on how you felt, on how the ambiance affected you at that particular occasion, and on how you feel towards the people or the sights that are captured in still life forever.

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace." Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

A Movie, A Dinner, and A Stroll

A repost. As originally published on EV Mail News for the week of February 20-26,2012.

http://www.evmailnews.com/eastern-visayas-mail-issue-of-feb-20-26-2012

By the time this article gets published, I'm pretty sure Valentine's Day would have passed by already. But no sweat, I'm still going to write something about (yes, you've guessed it) dating.

I'm not even going to try and talk about dating before marriage because I don't have much "quality" experience on that. My boyfriend-relationship with my husband was kind of a "whirlwind romance" of sorts. We had a short courtship. We went out on "formal" dates maybe only two or three times before we got married. But now, after being married for 17 years, I'm enjoying more "quality" dating time with my husband on couple getaways, impromptu "movie, dinner and a stroll" moments, and after work rendezvous.

This is possible now since our son doesn't need to be watched or to be taken care of like when he was little. My husband and I have more "freedom" and more time to go out of the house now even without any prior plans. It's kind of liberating to feel that we don't have to be bothered anymore with finding a "yaya" (nanny), or to worry of getting home at a certain hour while on a date. We are free! (Ah, not totally, but you all know what I mean.)

Our favorite date is to go out and watch a movie, have a quiet and yummy dinner, and maybe a short walk after, if the evening is nice enough for a stroll. A very simple night-out is what we both like --nothing fancy, nothing expensive or crazy. Sometimes we even just skip the movie all together and just go home and watch a good DVD on our couch in our pajamas. My husband likes it that way even better since he can pause and stop the movie while he goes around the house --to go to the bathroom, to zap some popcorn or to get some iced tea or water, all in the comforts of his jammies. Yes, we are very "low-maintenance" people.

It's my strong belief that married couples must never stop dating. Even after 50, 60 or 70 years of marriage, spouses must never stop surprising each other with small, simple gestures of love, and doing special things for each other. Learn new adventures and activities with each other and take turns in doing what the other loves the most (no matter how much you hate it, like watching basketball on TV!). We must always "keep the flame alive!" You are married, not sentenced for life!

It took me a while, and with a lot of disciplining from God, but I've learned how to be a better wife to my husband now. I'm not saying that I'm a perfect wife or that we don't have any riffs, but at least we've made a firm commitment with God that we will give it our best to make our marriage work, most especially to make God the center of our relationship. In the olden times when, and in some cultures where, marriages are often arranged and forced by families and relatives of the couple, and yet more often than not, they manage to stay together, have a family, and make it work somehow. So how much more in our time right now, when in the best scenario, no one is forced to marry anyone anymore, ought we not to give our best effort and everything to make our marriage be a success even more?

I know it's easier said than done. I'm not even going to try and preach on the topic of marriage because I'm the least qualified of all to do it. I just want to share with you today on how God has helped me and my husband to understand that our marriage will crumble and will amount to nothing if we remain selfish, stubborn and unforgiving towards each other. It doesn't matter even if we love each other so much, our human love will never overcome the difficulties and hardships that come naturally with life and relationships. We need a power greater than ourselves to help us to be grounded, to be reminded, to be strong everyday, and to work hard for our marriage. We need God.

Young love is fresh and exciting but as time matures that love, it becomes even more beautiful and fulfilling. I will never trade the love I have now for my husband with anything. Even when it's just a movie, a dinner, and a stroll that makes our weekend a thrill, I'm in a happy place in my life right now. I couldn't ask for anything more.


"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself." -Ephesians 5:22-28

20 Pounds..... and Counting!

A repost. As originally published on EV Mail News for the week of February 13-19, 2012.

http://www.evmailnews.com/eastern-visayas-mail-issue-of-february-13-19-2012

The holidays are now long gone. The feasts and dinner parties have been over since the New Year came in. All is back to normal. It's quiet. People are now focusing on how to regain the pace of "ordinary" living, trying to get back to the old daily routine. As for me and my family, another focus would be on how to "revive" our depleted checkbook. The holidays can be very expensive these days!

This is also the time to take back the right balance which has been lost through the holiday "marathon" eating. It's time to regain the equilibrium after all the busy-ness, the excitement, and all the flurry of activities during the holiday season. It's now time to breathe again.

I think, um wait… no, I’m sure that I've gained a lot of weight during the holidays. I know it's already "bad" enough that I indulge in all the festivities, parties and treats, beginning on Thanksgiving (here in America) all the way through the New Year's Eve celebration, but then add to it the freezing weather.

Winter is the worst time of the year to be feasting on anything. It's cold and just the thought of walking around the block in my neighborhood already makes my bones chill. All that people want to do on winter time is to "hibernate." Bears do it all the time, why can't we? We need the extra layer of fat in our bodies to help us stay warm until the next spring. Yeah, and let's keep on telling that to ourselves, for we might actually believe it!

So after the holidays, I have to contend with an extra 5 to 10 pounds of unwanted fat (and that's on top of the extra weight I should have lost last summer!). I tell you, it's no fun at all, especially for me who hates (absolutely detests) working out. But I do love to walk --walking is my "thing."

I've started to (seriously) walk in the spring of 2011 because you know, right after the holidays of 2010 I'm confronted with the same old dilemma of extra padded weight so I've decided to do something about it. At first, I've only managed to walk for about 10 to 15 minutes a day on my breaks at work and then I cranked it up a little bit more to about 20 to 30 minutes per day. By summer time, I was already walking 3 times a day --15 to 20 minutes on my morning break, 45 to 60 minutes (that's a full hour!) during my lunch break, and another 10 to 15 minutes in the afternoon. These walks don't yet include my everyday "foot trip" from my house to the train station, and vice versa, which takes about 10 minutes one-way.

After all the "hard work" (which I don't think is too hard since I really enjoy walking), I've seen some considerable results! I've lost 10 pounds in the first 2 months of walking. That's 5 pounds per month! I've never lost that much before even from strict dieting. Then by fall of 2011, I've already lost 15 pounds. Another 5 pounds were lost before winter even began. We're talking of a total of 20 pounds lost just by walking. I'm just too excited about this!

Then I started to dread the upcoming holidays and the winter of 2011 because I always gain weight by the time New Year comes. And it's the kind of weight that sticks like butter. I can't seem to shake those extra pounds off. But I kept at it, I kept on walking.

I'm so proud of myself that even though I've re-gained some of the weight I've lost before, it was easy to shed them off again after the holidays since I already have a physical regimen in place that works for me. So I just kept on walking. My friends at work thought I was crazy because even if it was freezing outside, I’d still put on my coat, bundle up, and go out for my walks. Rain, cold or shine, I’m out there!

And oh, I would be lying if I say that it's all due to walking that I've lost all those pounds because it's not entirely true. Exercising is a huge part in losing weight and staying healthy but I do believe that it should also be a lifestyle change. I had to change the way I think about my health, about the food I eat, and about being physically active.

I know this may sound like an old cliché but I've found out the hard way that looking for something that works best in making a healthier you is the only way that would work long-term. All the health fads and diet trends out there that have been invented by man will never work for you if it's only for the purpose of losing weight quickly and fast with no evident investment in any type of physical activity and by sticking to a healthy, balanced diet.

For example, I do love my vegetables. I've never really put much thought on it since I've always been a veggie eater, but now it's different. I really take some time and effort in getting the best vegetables for our meals. I've found out that the more colorful, the more vibrant, and the deeper the colors are in fruits and vegetables, so much the better.

I was used to eating wilted and overcooked vegetables since I was a child but now I tend to eat a lot of raw, fresh and half-cooked, crisp veggies. And I can't get enough of it. One of my new favorites is broccoli. I know, I know, I'm crazy because my family says so themselves. They're not too fond of broccoli either but I love it! It's been nicknamed the "green gem" for its known properties of preventing and fighting different diseases including cancer. And that's just an added bonus for me because I'm not kidding when I say I love broccoli.

Oh, and cilantro too! I'm addicted to it. I put it on everything. It's a type of Chinese parsley which is dominant in Mexican cooking --lots of antioxidants in that herb. My husband has had enough of it in my cooking already that he "banned" it from our kitchen for some time. That's how extreme my love for cilantro is!

So here goes: exercise/walking... check! Fruits and veggies... check! Stay away from sodas and "junk" food... check! More water… check! Not too much salt or too much sugar on food… check! These are only some of the things that have made a better me (physically and health-wise) for 2012. This is what works for me so I'm sticking to it. I want to glorify God in my body for I'm precious to Him, and being healthy in order to enjoy a long, full life is just one way to do it. And now, to get my family into this with me... uh, that's a whole different story. I'll tell you more about it next time! Ta-ta!

"What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." -1 Corinthians 6:19-20

10 (Unsolicited) Advise For Teenagers

A repost. As originally published on EV Mail News for the week of January 23-29, 2012.
http://www.evmailnews.com/eastern-visayas-mail-issue-of-jan-23-29-2012

"O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come." -Psalm 71:17-18

I know this would be kinda hard to believe for some younger people (including my son) but yes, I was once young. I've also been a teenager before. It's not important now on how long ago that was, but it would be safe to say that it wasn't during the Stone Age.

I find it all too amusing when I hear kids or teenagers talk about getting old as something that is so, so far away for it to happen to them. I've heard a teenager on TV here in Chicago said something like: ".....when I get old, like, when I'm in my 30's....." That just sent me cracking up the whole day! Phew, these kids, they don't know what they're talking about!

My son looked directly at my face one time, with an incredulous expression on his face, when I told him that I once worked for a local TV station in Tacloban City. I thought he was looking at me with awe, probably thinking at last that his Mom was in fact cool? Then he said, with the same crazy expression on his face, "There was TV when you were young?!" Wow. These things might seem very amusing to me now (and I also find teenagers too adorable) but I got to remember that I might have been amusing as well to my parents and to my elders when I was a teenager. Hmm, were they laughing behind my back?

My son is so funny at this age that even without him trying hard, his antics, the vocal changes, and the physical awkwardness are all amusing and endearing to me at the same time. I try not to laugh at him (most of the time), because I know how teenagers get embarrassed so easily, but sometimes I just can't help it! (Just wait 'til he reads this article, ha?) It's like watching my baby trying hard to turn into a man but still doesn't really want to, not yet at least. Teenagers are like people trapped between childhood and adulthood and it's understandable why this stage can be very confusing, scary, and may also be traumatic for them, if not handled with care.

There's much talk, open dialogues, lots of self-help books, Facebook posts, etc. allotted to raising teenagers and what we can do to help them achieve success and well-being. I'm not against it or anything like that, I'm just fascinated by it all. I didn't have that same help when I was a teenager (and yes, you do hear a whine in my tone here), but I came out fine, didn't I? Okay, that may be a bit questionable, but the point is, I'm glad that our society is now more open to talk about this issue and on how to help parents know (and the teenagers as well) that they're not alone in this whole process of growing up. Everybody goes through with it.

So, on the authority of being a teenager once and having a teenager now, I give my ten unsolicited advise to all the teenagers out there (but I guess to all the parents of teenagers is more appropriate since they are the ones more likely to read this article):

(1.) You are only young once. Make every year/age count. Don't waste it on doing anything illegal, immoral or stupid, of which you will soon regret for the rest of your life. It's okay to be crazy once in a while, you are teenagers after all. I just hope you would listen more to the wisdom of your elders, especially from those who've done it all, especially from them.

(2.) Listen well. Don't just hear, listen. Make all "oldies" talk be your life lessons even though you don't know nor understand what we're talking about yet. Write them down or tuck it in the nearest accessible memory "hard drive" in your head for later use. You never know when a good advice will actually be useful in the future.

(3.) Don't be grouchy all the time. I know it's all those hormones inside you creating the havoc in your head, with your moods, and with your emotions, but please try to smile once in a while. It looks good on photos for posterity's sake and also great for Facebook! There you go...smile! See, it doesn't hurt, does it?

(4.) No matter how "modern" or "liberal" or "independent" you've become, I hope you will never forget the basic words of human respect and civility. Saying "Hello," "Please," Excuse me" (in a nice tone of voice), "Thank you," and "I'm sorry" still make a huge difference in people's lives. A kind word will go a long, long way.

(5.) You don't know everything. No matter how convinced you are that you do, you actually don't. Stay in school and learn more. Stay out of trouble as much as you can and work hard on those school projects. Pick up a book and read. Read a lot. (Surfing the internet does not count either!) If you're anything like my son who hates school but he knows he doesn't have any choice but to be there anyway, try to enjoy every minute of it. You're going to be in there for quite a long time. Better make the best of it, have fun and enjoy, rather than flunk every subject and pay for it one way or the other later on. School is not that bad. Jail is.

(6.) Family is everything. (I see you roll your eyes!) But yes, even though you might think friends are everything right now, they really are not. Friends are very nice to have. Friendship is so precious and is a great gift but friends come and go and family always stay. We can choose our friends but we can't get rid of family. Believe me when I say when trouble comes, friends may be hard to find but family is more than enough.

(7.) Eat what you love and eat as much as you can. Be adventurous with your food. Try everything. You are young, you can take almost anything. So when you get older, you already know your favorites and would enjoy more. But please do this without going overboard or resorting to gluttony. And also don't make your parent's monthly budget for food shrink to cover only a day. Anything to the extreme is always bad. Also learn your family's medical history in order to make intelligent food choices. And when the word "teen" drops out of your age, stop. Health is always wealth.

(8.) Exercise! Since you're doing number 7 above, do number 8 as well. I know you're young. You're active and busy, but please don't neglect a good exercise. Walk, walk, and walk. If you can run, by all means, run! You like the gym? Go! "A body in motion tends to stay in motion," I've heard that line from a commercial. I hope that a good physical regimen will always be a part of your life.

(9.) Experience life! Do exciting, normal teenage activities with your friends and family. Travel if you can, go play sports, experience something new and exhilarating (again nothing illegal here, okay?). Don't wait until you're a middle-aged, arthritic version of yourself to do some stunts that your body nor your bones can't handle anymore. Take photos, soak in everything. Make memories and remember for a lifetime.

(10.) Give back. It's always a blessing to give back to family, friends, your church, and specially to strangers, to the poor, and to society. For every blessing we receive, more blessings should be given back. It feels good. It's the right thing to do. Give back to your parents and honor them always, it's the only commandment in the Bible that has a promise that comes with it --a long, full life.

"And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you." -Isaiah 46:4

"Mano Po!"

A repost. As originally published on EV Mail News for the week of January 16-22, 2012.
http://www.evmailnews.com/eastern-visayas-mail-issue-of-january-16-22-2012


To all my American and non-Filipino friends and readers, I guess I owe you a short explanation on what the title for this article means. The Filipinos have a tradition which has been handed down through generations, and of which I believe has its origins from our Spanish heritage, which is called "pagmamano." It's the tradition of asking for blessings upon us while giving deep respects to the elderly, especially among our family and relatives. It's a gesture that involves kissing or placing the hand of the elder unto our forehead as a way of greeting. This is one of our cultural traditions that I really, really like, and of which my husband and I have decided to hand down and teach to our son.

Our son was brought up in a sort of "modern" family environment. Modern in the sense that we shower him with much "visible" and affectionate love that includes hugs and kisses everyday ever since he was born. I believe this was unheard of in most of the "older" families in our country. At least my own family (parents and siblings) wasn't like that when I was growing up.

And also, my husband and I brought up our son teaching and speaking a foreign language (English) because we wanted him to be ready for the "global world" in the future, and besides, we reasoned, he would learn how to speak Tagalog or Filipino, as well as my mother tongue or dialect, Waray-waray, as he goes to school and interact with his Filipino friends. This was without foreseeing that we would leave our home country and raise him in America eventually. So much for wisdom and vision on our part, huh?

As we shower him with hugs and kisses, and many "I love you" everyday, we sort of forgotten the old tradition of "pagmamano" (in Tagalog) or "pag-amen" (in Waray-waray). It was more from a lack of foresight rather than from voluntarily disrespecting our culture's time-old tradition.

As I've said before, as long as a tradition does not go against the commands and the truths of God in His Word, the Bible, any traditions are fine with me. Traditions can be a great way of preserving morals and family values that have been passed down throughout the years. This is the reason why, too late or not, we've decided to teach our son to do the "mano po!" (bless me!) in our home.

When he started practicing the pagmamano, my son was a little too self-conscious about it because he hasn't done it in all the 16 years of his life! And we understood. It takes time and practice, aside from learning and understanding what it means, and what does a particular tradition stand for in a family.

We were gentle yet firm on our stand about it, reminding but not pushing too hard, and letting him take on the tradition to be his own. He's been doing this for only about 3 to 4 months now and, I must say, he's getting better at it. Although he can't remember to say "mano po" all the time, but he does say, "Hello, Mom" or "Good evening, Dad" whenever he does it, and that's more than enough for us.

Little, but precious things, like this tradition of pagmamano is very important to the family and to society as a whole. It what makes us grow closer together and it gives meaningful essence to life and to our relationships. I know that in other cultures and in other homes, families have their own traditions that they call their own. Sometimes when certain traditions are broken for no apparent reason at all, it tends to be difficult on the family members, especially the children. They don't know and can't understand what's happened and why something so precious in their own home has been broken so suddenly.

So we try to practice and keep traditions intact within our homes, the traditions that are sweet and precious, the ones that promote love and care among family and close friends. Even the traditions which include strangers into our life --these are the traditions that are worth keeping.

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." -Colossians 2:8

But whenever I get caught up in the sentimentality of family, friendship, relationships, and traditions, especially from my home culture, I always try to remember a word of caution for myself, lest I forget or if ever I get too drawn in by such things, that traditions are only well and good if they don't surpass or go against my faith in God and His truth. And that my relationship with God and my "traditions" with Him supersede all other things in this world, for without Him I can do nothing.

"Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." -Matthew 12:48-50

Why the Bible is True and Infallible

A repost. As originally published on EV Mail News for the week of January 2-8, 2012.
http://www.evmailnews.com/eastern-visayas-mail-issue-of-january-2-8-2012


"...it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail." -Luke 16:17


When I was growing up, I can't say that reading the Bible was part of my daily routine. I can't even remember if I've ever opened one and if I've actually read it during my childhood way up to my teen years. This may sound horrible to you now as I tell you this truth of my younger years but, honestly, I didn't think much about it then.

We're not a very religious family. (And we're still not.) Yes, we went to church and I was raised in a Catholic school all through high school but the Bible was not a "normal" part of our daily lives. Not reading it was what’s "normal" for me back then. The only passages from the Bible that were familiar to me were the common ones used during the Catholic Mass and some of the verses that we read from children's books. I didn't even bother to check out those passages against a real Bible. I just didn't have any reason to. And as I've said, it was no big deal for me then.

But since the moment when the Lord found me and made me comprehend His gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ alone, on how He died on the cross to pay for my sins, Bible reading is now a daily "routine" for me and my family. Maybe if I tell my son about the "small" truth from my childhood, I guess he would be a little surprised because what's "normal" for him includes a daily Bible reading in our household.

I'm not blaming anyone for what has occurred in my childhood (or, has not occurred), for it is what it is. There are things God allows to happen in our lives without Him explaining every bit of the why part. One of the reasons I know why I wasn't reading my Bible when I was young was simply because my family thought it was not important. I thought it was not important.

Yes, since I was raised by my parents then the responsibility for my spiritual well-being lies on them but they didn't know any better. The same way I don't know any better about a lot of things for my son's well-being today. But I thank God that reading the Bible regularly at our home is not one of them. This is not because I'm smarter or wiser than my parents on how they raised their children. No. God just showed me then my husband and I decided to take this route for our family.

After I became a Bible-believing and a serious "Bible-studying" Christian, I took notes on some reasons why I believe the Bible to be true and infallible. These reasons are not just my own. They are shared by millions of Bible-believing Christians around the world. These may be very simplistic and basic which come from my simple thinking and layman deductions, and for that I apologize. If you expect some earth-shattering or deep theological arguments to be presented on here, you're reading the wrong article. So, here are the reasons:

First. The Bible (the term originated from Latin, then Greek, meaning "books") is actually a compilation of several books --66 to be exact. It is divided into two periods: the Old Testament (OT) and the New Testament (NT). The OT, simply put, is the time from God's creation of the world up to before the time of the birth of Jesus. The NT is from the time of Jesus Christ's birth up to the book of Revelation, which covers some part of the future.

As I continue to study the Bible, it shows that the OT books mainly spoke of the prophecies of the coming of the Messiah, of God in the flesh, to save mankind. Then the NT books speak mainly of the fulfillment of those prophecies. These NT books also point into the future of the same Messiah's second coming.

Each of the OT and NT books span several hundred of years apart. They were written in different places, in various cultures, and in different ages, by several different writers who (most likely) didn't even get to meet each other in their lifetimes. So how did their writings coincide with each other? How did all the OT writers penned about all of the prophecies on Jesus and then the NT writers came later to write about its fulfillment? Nobody, even in this digital age or with all the talents and genius of Steven Spielberg, can conjure such an uncanny coincidence. And by the way, I don't believe in coincidences.

Second. Most, if not all, of the historical events recorded in the Bible, especially in the OT, are backed-up by an innumerable proofs and evidences. These evidences are scientific facts, archeological proofs and findings, artifacts, and ancient physical materials that can be found in museums and places where experts keep such priceless things for safekeeping.

Fossils and the remains of sea creatures have been found on mountaintops which confirm the story of the flood as recorded in the book of Genesis. Stuff used for everyday life that are said to possess "Israelitic" origins have been found at the bottom of the Red Sea which prove the story of how God parted its waters to save the Israelites from the Pharaoh of Egypt. And the places and streets on which Jesus has trodden while He was here on earth which can be found on Google map today is proof enough that the stories of the Gospels are not merely from the NT writers' imagination. Real coins, real types of grains, food they ate, the style of clothing they wore, and all the historical data of actual people who lived mentioned in the Bible can be researched by anyone who wants to find out more about them. They are not fictional stuff. Some historians even use the Bible as a historical reference although they don't necessarily believe in God.

Third. This is my last reason and really, I don't need any more. Three is compelling enough especially when the Holy Spirit continues to give me His quiet assurances of God's truth from the Bible.

The third reason for me is the "unhuman" teachings from the Word of God. I believe not one person can think up of such passages out of imagination or thin air, no matter how much he tries. The best of the best of man's literary works throughout the ages may be considered great, thoughtful, spiritually moving, intellectually stirring, and provocative at its best, but never has anyone written anything that can be considered as totally stripped off of human tendencies and human nature.

Only the Bible can tell a person to go against one's own natural inclinations. What man can honestly think of loving one's enemies or to offer the other cheek after we've been slapped? Who in their right mind would think that having hatred in our hearts is equivalent to murder and looking at someone with lust is the same as the sin of sexual immorality or adultery?

And what best proof of the Bible's truth and infallibility but from the testimonies of the billions of Christians from around the world? On how each Christian would attest that the Bible has changed them, changed them from the inside out, changed us for the better. And on how the lives of Bible-believing Christians will never be the same again after the truth of the Bible got a hold of their hearts and has gripped their minds and souls forever.


"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." –Matthew 5:17-19

Genesis 1:1

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

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

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." -Genesis 1:1


This is where everything we know about our world and the whole known universe all started. This was the beginning of the story of man and the earth. I don't know about you but this short passage in the Bible is more than enough for me to know that God literally created the heavens and the earth out of nothing, just by the Word of His mouth, at the onset of time.

And yet, apparently, this is not enough for some people, especially for the scientists and the "so-called" experts in the field of life sciences. They've been searching, and are still searching to this day, for the origins of human beings and all the living things on earth. They've conjured up various theories and hypotheses throughout the years to satisfy their own questioning and insatiable minds. Sadly, all those theories and hypotheses remain as that --just a bunch of theories and hypotheses.

There is still a great deal of things that I personally don’t know and of which I probably won't know or understand in my lifetime but I’m not afraid to admit it. This is not due to my lack of knowledge and education, or of any ignorance on my part (of which I'm sure I have a heaping measure in me). This lack of understanding is because I'm a limited being. My mind can only grasp so much and my wisdom is finite. I don't care if you are some kind of a genius, it's still a fact that your intelligence and comprehension can only go so far, and your knowledge can never be invincible, your thoughts will never be endless.

So whatever theories all the geniuses of this world come up with in regards to the creation of the world for as long as they're not in line with God's Scriptures, I'm afraid that I have to say this: they're all figments of man's imagination, and are therefore, fiction and inaccurate at its best. This may sound like a closed-minded attack on science and all the logical studies in the realm of education known to man, but really it is not.

Science is a great tool given to us in order to learn the wonderful facts and lessons about the living world and all of creation. There are even scientists who live and work in their own fields of specialized studies who make it their life's mission to show the unbelievers that God's Word is true and infallible through the use of scientific methods, facts, proofs and evidences.

The Bible and science are not necessarily opposite. They don't necessarily contradict each other. Science when used properly can be a great way to back-up and prove that what the Bible has recorded from years past and what it teaches us today are true and factual. There are innumerable material and physical evidences available here on earth alone which point to show that what the Bible says is true. Those evidences are overwhelming but not necessarily popular nor commonly known. For some reason, most of the school systems in the world refuse or somehow neglect to teach these scientific and biblical facts which are in conjunction with each other.

Also, one of those things I don't necessarily comprehend now is how and when the "beginning" actually started. I do know that God is not bound by space nor time, or by age as we know it, but He knows that the notion of time is important to man. So when God says "in the beginning," it meant the beginning of time as known to people and not to Him. God is immortal. He has existed beyond the limits of time. God came from eternity past and will continue to exist unto the eternity future as He has promised in His Word.

These are mind-boggling truths which I don't even dwell upon too much for fear of a brain hemorrhage. I will leave it up to God and I'll wait patiently until the day when He shows me the "big and complete picture." I can't wait to spend eternity with Him and with the multitudes of His children, and all the angels in heaven, as we worship and praise Him day and night, and also swap stories of how things went from before time into the beyond. What a majestic truth to behold! Glory to God!


"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." –John 1:1-6