Have you read Ella's blog?

I received an email from my brother about an inflammatory blog that seeks to expose the alleged gross corruption going on at the DSWD.

Apparently, in the face of the nationwide catastrophes brought about by the twin terror typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng, some officials have the gall to hoard foreign-sent relief and aid in their cavernous warehouses.

Now I confess that when I saw ella's blogpost I was infuriated. However, in these volatile times, I believe that we must all keep a level head until we have all the facts.

In the interest of fairness, here's the DSWD's side.

Obviously, the DSWD can always issue statements of this nature in their defense. But why is it that we, even as Christ-followers, are more ready to assume and believe the worst when it comes to our government officials? I know, I know.

I know.

Still, regardless of who is telling the truth, I believe the most responsible things we can do are:

1) Let us do our part. let us volunteer. Let us give. Let us be "Christ in flesh" to those who need compassion and care, help and rehabilitation.

2) Let us not just share relief; let us share the Gospel. The balance is in Isa.40:1-8 where God says to "comfort, comfort my people..."

With what? "...Cry out, 'The grass withers and flowers fade but My Word lasts forever." [emphasis added]

Relief goods will be consumed in 2-3 days, max. But the Gospel endures and outlasts all of life's storms.

3) Let us PRAY for our government officials and institutions. They can be unreacheable to us, but they cannot hide from God's mighty Hands that move in response to our prayers.

As followers of Jesus we are to be salt and light. Among other things, this means that we are better off as part of the solution and not part of the problem.

May the God of Peace soon crush satan and his minions underneath the feet of the righteous.

On Consecration

1. I'll be sharing on CONSECRATION in our College / Young Pro tonight.
   Here are some thoughts on the subject, taken from the "7 Stages of Spiritual Growth" module of World Teach Ministries.
   Good stuff!
   
   

   

   happytwit

   1. Consecration occurs when we voluntarily release all control of our life to God; it radically influences & changes ones conduct & priorities.2 minutes ago from web
   2. Consecration is a continuous recurring process that takes place at several levels & various times of one's life as one journeys with Christ.4 minutes ago from web
   3. Consecration is the voluntary dedication of your life to God; a private commitment of the heart. Rom.12:112 minutes ago from web
      
      

A Nation that Loves Its Own - From Gary V

Gary Valenciano shares his message of hope in the midst of the disaster brought about by typhoon Ondoy.
- Caloy Di�o, Kristianong Pinoy group moderator

A Nation that Loves Its Own
from Gary Valenciano

There are moments in our lives wherein the moment takes our breath away and we are left speechless. I am in such a moment today. I have gone up close to areas of disaster with not much to say in the midst of the deafening silence of loss. And I have seen the united stand this country has made to reach out, help, and perhaps, even start rebuilding not just homes, but hearts and lives. There is hope because people have it in them to love unconditionally.

For whatever reason this may have happened, it has brought us all closer to each other, closer to our neighbour, closer to our family, closer to our God. To sustain all this is a difficult task but for as long as people who are willing and volunteer to help exist, there is hope.

I pray we are continually blessed, blessed with the wisdom to do the impossible. God bless the Philippines. It is obvious that regardless of what we may have heard others say about this nation, or what we ourselves have thought about it, it is a nation that loves its own.

Car soup

I can't describe it any other way - several cars are just floating aimlessly in flood water. Like so much dimsum in noodle soup.

In this video, torrential floods are washing out several parked cars. Then human drama unfolds as a lady climbs out the window of one of the cars.

Heart-stopping.

BE ADVISED: The screaming of the off-cam people can be disconcerting.

LET US CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR OUR PEOPLE AND OUR NATION.

SHALOM!

Force Majeure

Okay. Here's what I know so far:

There hasn't been a storm like this in our country in 42 years. There are now 25 provinces inundated by the floods it has caused. At least five thousand people are stranded in the Trinoma mall alone. And, just now, it has been pointed out that tropical storm Ondoy "falls under hurricane category 4. Katrina was only category 3."

Tomorrow, the national Bar and Licensure Exams for teachers have been cancelled. Victory Christian Fellowship has called off their Sunday services. And I, as pastor of MHCC, am contemplating the wisdom of following suit.

Tonight our young adults' fellowship, U-Turn, was called off, and even our ministry head for that group had been stranded in traffic along Roxas Blvd. for 5 hours the last time I checked on her.

As I type these words, thousands of families' lives and properties have been literally upturned and / or submerged. And at least one family is weeping over the plight of their 6-day old child who was buried under their collapsed house. We are still waiting for word on that child's condition. And I am still praying.

My feelings at this point are mixed - deep sadness for our countrymen, revulsion at the sight of chocolate-brown waters in which our people swim and move and live, gratefulness for having my whole family with me safe and sound in our concrete fourth-floor home, vicariously anxious for all the people who are still braving rain and traffic and floods just to get home.

As I watch the live news broadcasts from the Kapuso channel, I am at once in awe and in tears with their field reporter Susan Enriquez. Even as she interviews the flood victims, you can clearly see that she, herself, feels their pain and, in spite of herself, weeps with them on camera. It's not an act you see. In times like these, it's actually appropriate.

The legal world has a name for Ondoy and the unstoppable havoc he has wreaked upon our nation - "Force Majeure".

Wikipedia gives this definition - Force Majeure (French for "superior force"), also known as cas fortuit (French) or casus fortuitus (Latin), is a common clause in contracts which essentially frees both parties from liability or obligation when an extraordinary event or circumstance beyond the control of the parties, such as a war,strike, riot, crime, or an event described by the legal term "act of God" (e.g., flooding, earthquake, volcano), prevents one or both parties from fulfilling their obligations under the contract.

Did you catch its other name? An "act of God".

Amazing. The same harmless, life-giving water in a glass, the same cool breeze that refreshes on a hot summer day... can become an invincible, lethal attack of nature when unleashed by the mighty Hand of the Living God. No wonder the Bible says that Job's anguished questions were all silenced when he heard God speak to him "out of the storm".

So what's my point? I'm not really sure I have one, to be honest.

All I know is, in light of all the events of this day, my heart cannot help but remember these words from the OT prophet Micah -

He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.

May the Lord have mercy on those who, in light of this sheer display of God's power, still have the gall to 'play God' - taking advantage of their fellowmen, refusing to lift a finger to help those in need.

And may He hear the cries of the oppressed, the homeless, the helpless and those who are despairing for life.

O LORD, our great and mighty God, have mercy upon our people.

Still the wind and the rain.

Heal our land once again.

Amen.

Happy birthday Jesi Rose!

Love you. Proud of you.

So thankful you're our daughter!

Blessings, favor and grace, all from God, today and forever!

Happy 19th birthday, Jesi!

Yun na yun?

Amazing.

I didn't really realize it until I checked the date. And even after I did, I just had to make sure.

Akalain mo yun... 30 days na pala akong nagbo-blog? It's been a month now since my very first blog in response to the challenge of the one and only blueberry010!

To be honest, I had my doubts about being able to do a full thirty days. In fact, I actually started late and even missed my very second day! Still, thanks to the graciousness encouragement and non-legalism of my blog-mate-friend-challenger I found the strength and fortitude to plod on.

Truth be told, there would be days when I would wrack my brain as to what to blog on. Nakaka-ngarag din pala kapag alam mong may maayos na kausap na kahit tahimik lang e inaantay ang bahagi mo sa usapan ninyo. Of course, there was never any pressure. But, fragnabbit! , when I check my Inbox...she'll have her blog for the day in and that just drove me nuts! I'd be like Homer Simpson and go, "D-oh!"

But then again, there'd be days when I would be "in the zone", y'know? I'd do like 2 or even three blogs in a day. Of course, some of those blogs wouldn't really count as blogs, like the summary I did for a longer blog. But still, during those days I'd fell like, "Ha-HA! Am I bloggin' or what?"

There were actually days when I thought Yang had missed a few days. She actually did miss one day. but then I didn't see any blogs in my Inbox for two days or so. So, I thought I'd pay back her graciousness by not asking her about it!

One day, however, my curiosity got the better of me and I finally asked her. "Been missing a few blogs, huh?"

"Nope," she said. "They're all there. I just didn't have them show up in the Inbox..."

"She can do that?", I thought.

"There's a box you can click...," she said, reading my thoughts.

Kamote. And just when I thought I was getting ahead...

So, anyways, I soon found myself getting more and more into the groove of blogging. And the amazing thing is, it soon became second nature.

Looking over the blogs I'd written I realize I have covered a wide gamut of topics- from thoughts on church growth and what it means to be a pastor to Mrs. Gary V's time with ABSCBN and my wife's surprising love for our dog.

From my Homiletics class to the new church I'm now pastoring to the rats and cockroaches that share my office...and the words of wisdom that I have gleaned along the way.

>Whew!<

And, lo and behold... I'm done. Finished.

Pass your peppers! Ma'am... mey I go awt?

==

Photo credit: Alex GB Walker

==

For the record: my last few blogs:

	Happy 30th Anniversary Kuya Jaren and Ate Rose Lapasaran Posted on Sep 18, '09 6:30 AM for everyone " Kuya Jaren and Ate Rose,There are people who impress us with their words. There are people who impress us with their wealth.There are people who impress us with their skills,..."	0
	la cucarahca Posted on Sep 17, '09 12:35 PM for friends, family and online buddies " yesterday my wife came with me to my 'new' office space to help me with its renovation and improvement.she lost no time sorting out all the accumulated junk and garbage in the roo..."	9
	and now she sleeps Posted on Sep 17, '09 12:34 AM for friends, family and online buddies " sa totoo lang, one of the most rewarding things that i can look forward to in a day is to be able to spend time with my wife.just spend time with her.the great thing about ros..."	5
	Tiny babbols... Posted on Sep 15, '09 11:04 PM for everyone " So, a-kinse di ba? Nakakatawa. May nag-text pa. "O ano p're? Kelan ba 'ko makakatikim ng katas ng tseke mo?"Wahahahaha. Eep it wer nat sow trajik, eet wud ektweli bee p..."	11
	Of all the times to be without a camera... Posted on Sep 14, '09 10:42 PM for friends, family and online buddies " ...it had to be today. Rose and I had our MonDate-cum-monthsary today, and we don't have the pictures to show for it.At first, we were just happy to be chillin' at home..."	9
	Lovin' this great new book I'm reading! Posted on Sep 14, '09 9:58 PM for everyone " happytwit"If you can smile whenever anything goes wrong, you are either a nitwit or a repairman." - LA Times HAHAHAHAHA! I love it! =)less than 20 seconds ago from web"R..."	0
	How do you eat an elephant? Posted on Sep 14, '09 1:00 AM for friends, family and online buddies " It'll be two weeks come tomorrow ["today", thanks to a computer glitch...].And what a challenge-filled two weeks it has been. In my previous non-rant blog I thanked God for His ev..."	1
	Sa wakas. =) Posted on Sep 13, '09 10:57 PM for everyone " Finally saw it. With the fam. In 3-D! w00t! Thank you @cambyman, a.k.a. jmart for the thoughtful text message! Thanks ate "A" for the special tickets! &nb..."	2

...'nuff said.