who's your BOSS? (2) --- God's Word and human authority

A friend of mine and i are discussing about God's Word and His Church. My earlier reply can be found here: http://tecigurl.blogspot.com/2009/02/whos-your-boss-1.html.

Dear ---,

Before anything else, thanks for the continuing discussion. I have yet to read the replies you made last year (sorry!). But I can continue with this thread.

First off, we submit to God as Jesus submits to God the Father but it is dangerous to imply that God the Father “knows much better” that God the Son. When Jesus uttered “not as I will, but as thou wilt” [Matthew 26:39], we should also remember that He knew full well that He came to earth to die for our sins. (He repeatedly revealed this to apostles and others, and prophets foretold it centuries ago.) Jesus is equally God and equally all-knowing, obedience and submission to the Father does not mean ignorance.

But Jesus' crucifixion entails suffering, which is why He started that prayer with “My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me” (instead of something like “Thank you for blessing me with this cup; if possible, I would like to have it now because I would really enjoy it.”) Jesus has always known that He is the Only Way to the Father, and that only the sinless God who is also in human form can shoulder the punishment of death for our sake. Jesus knew even before the world began, and He knew that it would lead to great future glory, but the suffering itself is far from pleasant. His prayer shows both honesty and obedience.

The Church is broadly defined as “the Body of Christ” and “the group of believers”. You write, “we still need an earthly authority whom we are sure guided by the Holy Spirit to identify and give measure of that [ultimate God's] standard.”

If we follow our spiritual leaders, who will they follow? You will probably answer, “God” or “the Holy Spirit”. So can we not follow with the Holy Spirit directly?

Is God limited, that He can only talk to the leaders? Of course not. St. Peter himself explained to a crowd, “(saith the Lord,) I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh” right after they were baptized with the Holy Spirit [Acts 2:17].

While some define “conscience” as merely an individual's “gift to naturally discern what is right from wrong”, in light of the Pentecost, “conscience” can now refer to the Holy Spirit which is dwelling in a person who has received Him. Although followers yield to a divinely-established institution, surely we should recognize the Spirit of God over the judgment of any man?

I am not saying that we should reject every form of (human) spiritual authority. But, as I have written before, there are many accounts of this human authority coming into conflict with God's Word. What do we do then? We agree that we should render to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's. We respect human authority, but we give absolute submission to only one Absolute Authority – Christ Himself.

My answer to your PS is exactly regarding spiritual leaders. I merely used Obama as an illustration of any leader. Authority is instituted by God for order and our guidance, yet you acknowledge that “we are but human”. I agree. Leaders are not exempt from error. I will give examples later.

If a leader invokes the authority of God yet is in direct opposition to God's commands, you write, “truly, we should follow God only and only God's commands most especially when it comes to spirituality and morality”. We do not simply shrug, say this person “just knows much better than us”, and follow anyway.

You ask “why some people don't like the idea of having a Church (under the guidance of the Holy Spirit of course) to perfectly explain to us the Gospel”. It's not a matter of “like”, or “gusto”. It's a matter of following God Himself, when the explainers --- with all due respect --- have been misled.

Here are some instances where we can compare and contrast the Word of God with the word of man. (As before, all Bible verses are taken from the Douay Rheims 1899 edition, which is officially recognized by the Roman Catholic Church.)

Jesus is the Cornerstone and Foundation of the Church

• Peter himself taught that Jesus is the chief cornerstone on which the church is built. [1 Peter 2:3-8]
• Peter: “Be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God hath raised from the dead, even by him this man standeth here before you whole. This is the stone which was rejected by you the builders, which is become the head of the corner.” [Acts 4:10-11.]
• For other foundation no man can lay, but that which is laid; which is Christ Jesus. [1 Corinthians 3:11]
  • "The primacy of St. Peter was ... an essential part of Christ's church, the rock on which it was built ... The House of God will always need its foundation" (The Question Box, Bertrand Conway, 1929 Edition).
  
  

Jesus is the Chief Shepherd

• St. Peter himself spoke of Jesus as the Prince Shepherd (the footnote in the Catholic Bible says, "the Greek reads, 'the chief Shepherd'"). [1 Peter 5:4] This Shepherd will come to reward the faithful, referring to Jesus' second coming [2 Timothy 4:8; Revelation 2:10; 22:12; Matthew 25:31-46; etc.] .
  • "The Vatican Council defines as an article of faith that ... Christ 'conferred upon Peter alone the jurisdiction of Chief Pastor [shepherd] and Ruler over all the flock'" (The Question Box).

The Office of the Papacy is Not Mentioned in the Bible

• Peter simply calls himself an apostle and servant [1 Peter 1:1; 2 Peter 1:1] and ancient or elder [1 Peter 5:1].
  • Peter is never called "Pope," "Chief Pastor," "Prince of the Apostles," "Head of the Church," "Ruler of the Church," "Supreme Pontiff," etc. [Peter and the Papacy, http://www.gospelway.com/religiousgroups/peter_as_pope.php]

• The Bible specifically names several offices in the church and describes the work and qualifications of those who hold that office:
  • Apostles (Ephesians 4:11; Matthew 10:2-4; and Luke 6:13-16. Qualifications: Acts 1:21-26; 2 Corinthians 12:11,12. Duties: Ephesians 3:3-5; Acts 10:39-41)
  • Elders/Bishops (Phil. 1:1; Acts 14:23; Eph. 4:11. Qualifications: 1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9. Duties: Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:1-3)
  • Deacons (Phil. 1:1. Qualifications: 1 Tim. 3:8-13. Duties: Acts 6:1-6)
• The Bible contains several passages where the office of Pope ought to be mentioned, if it existed. Ephesians 4:11,12 and 1 Corinthians 12:28 list various officers and workers in the church, but the office of Pope is not mentioned. [Peter and the Papacy]

Bow Down to God Alone

• Mary: “Whatsoever he shall say to you, do ye.” [John 2:5]

• Jesus: “For whosoever shall do the will of God, he is my brother, and my sister, and mother.” [Mark 3:35]
• Cornelius came to meet Peter, and falling at his feet adored. But Peter lifted him up, saying: "Arise, I myself also am a man." [Acts 10:25-26]
• "The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men;"...Which, when the apostles Barnabas and Paul had heard, rending their clothes, they leaped out among the people, crying, and saying: "Ye men, why do ye these things? We also are mortals, men like unto you, preaching to you to be converted from these vain things, to the living God, who made the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them..." [Acts 14:11,14-15]
• I fell down to adore before the feet of the angel, who shewed me these things. And he said to me: "See thou do it not: for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them that keep the words of the prophecy of this book. Adore God." [Revelation 22:8-9]
  • Joshua prostrated himself and venerated the Ark for hours (Joshua 7:6). As "Joshua" means "Jesus" we have a type of Jesus venerating a type of Mary. Applying this to the New Testament figures themselves, it symbolically represents Jesus Christ paying veneration to His Mother. (Catholic Apologetics, www.theworkofgod.org)

Images and Idols

• "Thou shalt not have strange gods before me. Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor of those things that are in the waters under the earth. Thou shalt not adore them, nor serve them: I am the Lord thy God, mighty, jealous, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me..." [Exodus 20:3-5]
  • A thorough examination of the Old Testament would preclude any interpretation of the Commandments imposing an absolute prohibition of images per se as this would have God prohibiting what He allows and commands elsewhere: “You shall make two cherubim of gold...” (Catholic Apologetics)

• God never commanded people to bow down and pray to cherubim. The commands to construct cherubim and other objects were only part of God's plans to glorify Himself (ark made by Noah, Ark of the Covenant, Jewish Temple). These objects were never intended to replace God as the object of worship. (Teci)

• "Then Joshua...fell to the ground on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening" [Joshua 7:6]
  • Joshua venerated the Ark of the Covenant in the same way Catholics have always honored images. (Catholic Apologetics)
  • Joshua was merely in sorrow because of a military defeat (see verses 1-5). This is the only account of Joshua “venerating the Ark in the same way as the Catholics” in the decades recorded in the book of Joshua. (Teci)
  • The Ark of the Covenant symbolized the presence of God Himself. God commanded the making of this Ark, but destroyed the golden calf that the Israelites brought offerings to. The Israelites wrongly thanked the calf from bringing them out of Egypt. (Teci)

• It follows that if the Commandments prohibited the making of any images whatsoever, Protestants ought to remove and destroy all their statues of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and even Mount Rushmore, as well as burn all their pictures of relatives, friends etc. (Catholic Apologetics)
• I don't pray to my parents. I don't bow down to them. I don't call on them to use spiritual powers they don't have. I love them but they are only human like me and do not deserve my worship. (Teci)

• The Jewish practice in this regard was very strict due to their proneness to imitate the idolatry of the surrounding pagans among whom they lived. (Catholic Apologetics)
• If we use this argument, then we must be equally strict about the Philippines, which is surrounded by pagan, non-Christian countries. (Teci)
• At present, there are Jews living in the state of Israel as well as dispersed in small communities worldwide. Regardless of circumstance, they hold strongly to the Commandment against bowing down to idols and images. They have always been very strict regarding this absolute commandment from their God. (Teci)

Celibacy of the Clergy

• It behoveth therefore a bishop to be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, prudent, of good behaviour, chaste, given to hospitality, a teacher. [1 Timothy 3:2]

• Celibacy is not a Dogma of Faith but a disciplinary law designed to increase the dignity of the Priesthood. Contrary to popular mythology, celibacy has not always been the rule for priests of the Catholic Church. It was only introduced as a mandatory rule in the Western Church during the eleventh century, while in the East married men have always been allowed to become priests. However, once ordained, an Eastern Rite priest cannot marry, and only celibate monks can be chosen as bishops. (Catholic Apologetics)

All Have Sinned

• "For all have sinned, and do need the glory of God." [Romans 3:23]
  • "...the Roman Pontiff, when he speaks ex cathedra, that is, when, in discharge of the office of pastor and teacher of all Christians, by virtue of his supreme Apostolic authority, he defines a doctrine regarding faith or morals to be held by the universal Church, is, by the divine assistance promised to him in Blessed Peter, possessed of that infallibility with which the divine Redeemer willed that His Church should be endowed in defining doctrine regarding faith or morals; and that, therefore, such definitions of the Roman pontiff are of themselves, and not from the consent of the Church, irreformable." (First Vatican Council, 1870)
  • "In the first twelve centuries of her existence the Church was disturbed some twenty-five times by rival claimants of the Papacy. The strife thus originated was always an occasion of scandal, sometimes of violence and bloodshed ... For forty years (in the 14th century) two and even three pretenders to the Papacy claimed the allegiance of Catholics: whole countries, learned men and canonised saints, ranged themselves on different sides, and even now it is not perhaps absolutely certain who was Pope..." (Catholic Dictionary, Addis & Arnold, p. 869).

Jesus as Savior and Lord

• In the which will, we are sanctified by the oblation of the body of Jesus Christ once. And every priest indeed standeth daily ministering, and often offering the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this man offering one sacrifice for sins, for ever sitteth on the right hand of God [Hebrews 10:10-12]
• Peter: “Neither is there salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved.” [Acts 4:12]
  • God will judge us according to all our actions, and not by simply whether we "accepted Christ as our personal Lord and Savior." There is no guarantee of salvation, perseverance in faith and good works are required until the end. (Catholic Apologetics, www.theworkofgod.org)
  • The term “Lord” entails complete obedience, hence good works in obedience to God are always required. Meanwhile, the term “Savior” means acknowledging that it is Jesus who saves us.
  • The humble sinner who confesses is the one “justified” by Jesus, rather than the do-gooder Pharisee, “because every one that exalteth himself, shall be humbled: and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted.” [Luke 18:10-14]

Salvation and Forgiveness as Given, Not Earned

• For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God; Not of works, that no man may glory. [Ephesians 2:8-9]
• But knowing that man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ; we also believe in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: because by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. [Galatians 2:16]
  • “An indulgence may be plenary or partial according as to whether it removes either all or part of the temporal punishment due to sin. The requirements for gaining a plenary indulgence are (1) performance of the indulgence work - for example, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for at least one half an hour, devout reading of the Sacred Scriptures for at least one half an hour, or praying the Marian Rosary in a church, public oratory or family group, etc.; (2) sacramental confession; (3) eucharistic communion, and (4) prayer for the Pope’s intentions. The last three conditions may be fulfilled several days before or after the performance of the prescribed work. However, it is fitting that communion be received and the prayer for the Pope’s intentions be said on the same day the work is performed. If any of these conditions are not fulfilled the indulgence gained will only be partial.” (Catholic Apologetics)

All Things Already Given

• As all things of his divine power which appertain to life and godliness, are given us, through the knowledge of him who hath called us by his own proper glory and virtue. [2 Peter 1:3]
• Secret things to the Lord our God: things that are manifest, to us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. [Deuteronomy 29:29]
• Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. [John 13:17]

The Holy Spirit Teaches Us All Truth

• But when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will teach you all truth. For he shall not speak of himself; but what things soever he shall hear, he shall speak; and the things that are to come, he shall show you. He shall glorify me; because he shall receive of mine, and shall show it to you. All things whatsoever the Father hath, are mine. Therefore I said, that he shall receive of mine, and show it to you. [John 16:13-15]
• Paul: “I think that I also have the spirit of God.” [1 Corinthians 7:40].
• But if any of you want wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men abundantly, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. [James 1:5]
• You covet, and have not: you kill, and envy, and can not obtain. You contend and war, and you have not, because you ask not. You ask, and receive not; because you ask amiss: that you may consume it on your concupiscences (lusts). [James 4:2-3]
• And when they shall bring you into the synagogues, and to magistrates and powers, be not solicitous how or what you shall answer, or what you shall say; For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what you must say. [Luke 12:11-12]

The Only Unforgivable Sin is Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit

• Amen I say to you, that all sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and the blasphemies wherewith they shall blaspheme: But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost, shall never have forgiveness, but shall be guilty of an everlasting sin. Because they said: He hath an unclean spirit. [Mark 3:28-30]
• Therefore I say to you: Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but the blasphemy of the Spirit shall not be forgiven. And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but he that shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come. [Matthew 12:31-32]
• And I say to you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God. But he that shall deny me before men, shall be denied before the angels of God. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but to him that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven. [Luke 12:8-10]

To end this message, I repeat that there is a proper place for authority, especially within the Body of Christ (see Romans 13:1-4). But when there is a disconnect, let us go with what Peter himself exhorted: “We ought to obey God, rather than men” [Acts 5:29].

We need to make sure that we are always on the right track --- thankfully, God Has revealed Himself through His Word (the Bible), through His Word made flesh (Jesus), and through the Holy Spirit.

You write that “we are but human”. Indeed. We are all prone to error. Let us look beyond the doctrines: the evidence has repeatedly shown that humans make mistakes, even Popes.

You write that “without the Holy Spirit, the system won't work”. Indeed. But we should look at the quality and not just the quantity of the system. After all, many political and financial empires do not attribute their success to the work of God.

Previously I quoted, “for every tree is known by its fruit...” [Luke 20:25]. If the Holy Spirit is within us, then we will bear its fruit (Galatians 5) and manifest its gifts (1 Corinthians 12).


I mean no disrespect to the Papacy nor to the Roman Catholic Church. I am simply rendering to the Pope what is the Pope's...and rendering to God what is God's.


As always, thank you so much --- for your time, attention and concern. But be assured that I am already being led by the Spirit through the Bible, through my spiritual family (the local church I attend), and --- like Peter and Paul --- by God's very presence in me.


Your sister in Christ,
Teci

P.S. Please feel free to share our exchange.

who's your BOSS? (1)

"...If Jesus indeed calls us to submit to every form of authority, then why some have difficulty to submit to the teaching authority of the Church he founded with regards to moral and spiritual truths?"

(So asks my Catholic friend. Below is my reply.)

The quoted verses are taken from the Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition of the Bible, "the foundation on which nearly all English Catholic versions are still based," according to BibleGateway.com.


Jesus calls us to submit to every form of authority by saying, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's: and to God the things that are God's."* Our obedience to God will be manifested in our obedience to human authority, but our ultimate authority is still God Himself.

What if the newly-elected President (or any such figure of authority) declares himself to be above the law? (St. Paul in Romans writes "For all have sinned, and do need the glory of God."*)

What if he commands that we worship things other than God? (From the Ten Commandments: "Thou shalt not have strange gods before me. Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor of those things that are in the waters under the earth. Thou shalt not adore them, nor serve them: I am the Lord thy God, mighty, jealous, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me..."*)

What if he imposes that we bow down to him? (St. Peter and St. Paul vehemently stopped people from bowing down to them, while St. John was forbidden to worship an angel.*)

If I stay in the country where a president does such things, who will I obey --- him, or God, my ultimate authority? If I choose to obey God within that country, I would be committing crimes against the state (because I am not completely submitting to the head of the state). And it would be so easy to be led astray, because I am still supposed to submit to that authority figure, because of pressure from my peers, and because what I supposedly know of God's authority will constantly be challenged by this other authority in my life.

I hope you understand what I'm saying, bro. I know of several people who have chosen to stay within the "country" and work through the system. As for me, I chose to leave --- there are many countries claiming to be founded under God; "for every tree is known by its fruit..."*

Before doing things for God (whether traditions or missions), I needed to know who God is in the first place. Fortunately, we have a "God according to God" --- the Bible. Jesus spoke to people in marketplaces, streets and homes more often than in the temple --- He was and is speaking the language of the people! By our ultimate authority and perfect standard, we can use sound judgment in relating to all other authorities here on earth.

Grace and peace to you and your family, dear brother in God :)

===========================================

* Luke 20:25

* Romans 3:23

* Exodus 20:3-5

* Acts 10:25-26 - And it came to pass, that when Peter was come in, Cornelius came to meet him, Cornelius came to meet him, and falling at his feet adored. But Peter lifted him up, saying: "Arise, I myself also am a man."

* Acts 14:10-14 - And when the multitudes had seen what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice in the Lycaonian tongue, saying: "The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men;" And they called Barnabas, Jupiter: but Paul, Mercury; because he was chief speaker. The priest also of Jupiter that was before the city, bringing oxen and garlands before the gate, would have offered sacrifice with the people. Which, when the apostles Barnabas and Paul had heard, rending their clothes, they leaped out among the people, crying, and saying: "Ye men, why do ye these things? We also are mortals, men like unto you, preaching to you to be converted from these vain things, to the living God, who made the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them..."

* Revelation 22:8-9 - And I, John, who have heard and seen these things. And after I had heard and seen, I fell down to adore before the feet of the angel, who shewed me these things. And he said to me: "See thou do it not: for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them that keep the words of the prophecy of this book. Adore God."

* Luke 6:44

The "Ph" in a PhD: Philosophy issues in Science

These excerpts talk about science in a universe that cannot be exclusively understood in terms of it. From the "Science" article of Wikipedia.

Philosophical focus

Historian Jacques Barzun termed science "a faith as fanatical as any in history" and warned against the use of scientific thought to suppress considerations of meaning as integral to human existence.^[27]

Many recent thinkers, such as Carolyn Merchant, Theodor Adorno and E. F. Schumacher considered that the 17th century scientific revolution shifted science from a focus on understanding nature, or wisdom, to a focus on manipulating nature, i.e. power, and that science's emphasis on manipulating nature leads it inevitably to manipulate people, as well.^[28]

Science's focus on quantitative measures has led to critiques that it is unable to recognize important qualitative aspects of the world.^[28] It is not clear, however, if this kind of criticism is adequate to a vast number of non-experimental scientifics fields like astronomy, cosmology, evolutionary biology, complexity theory, paleontology, paleoanthropology, archeology, earth sciences, climatology, ecology and other sciences, like statistical physics of irreversible non-linear systems, that emphasize systemic and historically contingent frozen accidents.

Considerations about the philosophical impact of science to the discussion of the meaning (or lack thereof) in human existence are not suppressed but strongly discussed in the literature of science divulgation, a movement sometimes called The Third Culture.

The implications of the ideological denial of ethics for the practice of science itself in terms of fraud, plagiarism, and data falsification, has been criticized by several academics. In "Science and Ethics", the philosopher Bernard Rollin examines the ideology that denies the relevance of ethics to science, and argues in favor of making education in ethics part and parcel of scientific training.^[29]

Epistemological issues

Psychologist Carl Jung believed that though science attempted to understand all of nature, the experimental method used would pose artificial, conditional questions that evoke only partial answers.^[34]

Robert Anton Wilson criticized science for using instruments to ask questions that produce answers only meaningful in terms of the instrument, and that there was no such thing as a completely objective vantage point from which to view the results of science.^[35]

Parkin suggests that, compared to other ways of knowing (ex. divination), the epistemological stance of science is on the same spectrum as any other approach; it is simply in a different area of the range in terms of its specific techniques and processes.^[36] In this sense, to the degree that divination is an epistemologically specific means of gaining insight into a given question, Parkin suggests that science itself can be considered a form of divination that is framed from a Western view of the nature (and thus possible applications) of knowledge (i.e. a Western epistemology).

the lovers' dilemma

Do I love you because you're beautiful
from Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella
as sung by Paolo Montalban and Brandy here


Prince:
Do I love you because you're beautiful,
or are you beautiful because I love you?
Am I making believe I see in you a girl too lovely to be really true?
Do I want you because you're wonderful,
or are you wonderful because I want you?
Are you the sweet invention of a lover's dream
or are you really as beautiful as you seem?

Cinderella:
Am I making believe I see in you a man too perfect to be really true?
Do I want you because you're wonderful,
or are you wonderful because I want you?
Are you the sweet invention of a lover's dream
or are you really as beautiful as you seem?

Both:
Are you the sweet invention of a lover's dream
or are you really as wonderful as you seem?




The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying:
"I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with loving-kindness.
I will build you up again
and you will be rebuilt, O Virgin Israel.
Again you will take up your tambourines
and go out to dance with the joyful."

(Jeremiah 31:3-4)

Cherish --- Valentines' Post for the Married Couples :)

(1of5) Valentines' Day Prayer for the Married Couples :)


Dear Lord,

I thank you for the wife/husband that you have entrusted to me.

Enable me to love, respect and cherish this special person,

second only to You in my heart and in my life.


Amen.






(2of5) Cherish is the Word
by The Association
video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg_ozLCinZU&feature=related


Cherish is the word I use to describe
All the feeling that I have
Hiding here for you inside
You don't know how many times
I've wished that I had told you
You don't know how many times
I've wished that I could hold you
You don't know how many times
I've wished that I could
Mold you into someone who could
Cherish me as much as I cherish you

Perish is the word that more than applies
To the hope in my heart each time I realize
That I am not gonna be the one to share your dreams
That I am not gonna be the one to share your schemes
That I am not gonna be the one to share what
Seems to be the life that you could
Cherish as much as I do yours

Oh I'm beginning to think that man has never found
The words that could make you want me
That have the right amount of letters, just the right sound
That could make you hear, make you see
That you are drivin' me out of my mind

Oh I could say I need you but then you'd realize
That I want you just like a thousand other guys
Who'd say they loved you
With all the rest of their lies
When all they wanted was to touch your face, your hands
And gaze into your eyes

Cherish is the word I use to describe
All the feeling that I have
Hiding here for you inside
You don't know how many times
I've wished that I had told you
You don't know how many times
I've wished that I could hold you
You don't know how many times
I've wished that I could
Mold you into someone who could
Cherish me as much as I cherish you

And I do
Cherish you
And I do
Cherish you

Cherish is the word




(3of5) That's How You Know
from "Enchanted"
video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ErdIFoMGRo

(Amy Adams - Giselle)
How does she know you love her?
How does she know she's yours?
(Marlon Saunders - Calypso Singer)
How does she know that you love her?
(Giselle)
How do you show her you love her?

(Together)
How does she know that you really really truly love her?
How does she know that you love her?
How do you show that you love her?
How does she know that you really really truly love her?

(Giselle)
It's not enough to take the one you love granted
You must remind her or she'll be inclined to say
"How do I know he loves me?
How do I know he's mine?"

Well does he leave a little note to tell you you are on his mind?
Send you yellow flowers when the sky is grey?
He'll find a new way to show you a little bit every day
That's how you know
That's how you know he's your love

(Calypso Singer)
You got to show her you need her
Don't treat her like a mind reader
Each little something to lead her to believe you love her

(Giselle)
Everybody wants to live happily ever after
Everybody wants to know their true love is true
How do you know he loves you?
How do you know he's yours?

Well does he take you out dancing just so he can hold you close?
Dedicate a song with words meant just for you?
He'll find his own way to tell you with the little things he'll do
That's how you know
That's how you know he's your love
He's your love
That's how you he loves you
That's how you know it's true

Because he'll wear your favorite color just so he can match your eyes
Plan a private picnic by the fire's glow
His heart will be yours forever
Something everyday will show
That's how you know (x5)
That's how you know he's your love
That's how you know
That's how you know he's your love




(4of5) Why is the wedding ring placed on the fourth finger?
video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=57MakDoK624


Why is the wedding ring placed on the fourth finger?

A beautiful explanation is given by the Chinese.

The thumb represents your parents.

The second (index) finger represents your siblings.

The middle finger represents yourself.

The fourth (ring) finger represents your life partner.

The last (little) finger represents your children.

Firstly, open your palms (face to face), bend the middle fingers and hold them together - back to back. Secondly, open and hold the remaining three fingers and the thumb - tip to tip (as shown in the pic above).

Now, try to separate your thumbs (representing the parents)...They will open, because your parents are not destined to live with you lifelong, and have to leave you sooner or later.

Please join your thumbs as before and separate your index fingers (representing siblings)...They will also open, because your brothers and sisters will have their own families and will have to lead their own separate lives.

Now join the index fingers and separate your little fingers (representing your children)...They will open too, because the children also will get married and settle down on their own some day.

Finally, join your little fingers, and try to separate your ring fingers (representing your spouse). You will be surprised to see that you just *cannot*.....because husband & wife have to remain together all their lives - through thick and thin!




(5of5) Love's Power

Place me like a seal over your heart,
like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,
its jealousy unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
like a mighty flame.

Many waters cannot quench love;
rivers cannot wash it away.
If one were to give
all the wealth of his house for love,
it would be utterly scorned.

(Song of Solomon 8:6-7)



Wishing everyone (married or not) a very happy Valentines'! :D

The Single Woman's Prayer (oh ok also for the men...)

Dear God,

Please protect me from all the wrong ones.

In Jesus' name,

Amen :)



P.S. Like anything that leads us to rely on God instead of on ourselves or our circumstances, this really works!

P.P.S. God would be pleased and honored, you would be spared, even the men who thought they were the one for you would eventually be thankful, and so would the women who God has ordained for them...But your future husband would probably be the most thankful of all :)


...What shall we do for our sister
for the day she is spoken for?

If she is a wall,
we will build towers of silver on her.
If she is a door,
we will enclose her with panels of cedar.

(Song of Solomon 8:8-9)

Happy Valentines'! :)

HBD to the best brother in the world :)

Kita-kits sa kainan mamaya :)




"The Miracle of a Brother's Song"
(forwarded by our dad)

Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could to help her 3-year-old son, Michael, prepare for a new sibling. They found out that the new baby was going be a girl, and day after day, night after night, Michael sang to his sister in mommy's tummy. He was building a bond of love with his little sister before he even met her.

The pregnancy progressed normally for Karen, an active member of the Panther Creek United Methodist Church in Morristown, Tennessee. In time, the labor pains came. Soon it was every five minutes, every three, every minute. But serious complications arose during delivery and Karen found herself in hours of labor. Would a C-section be required?

Finally, after a long struggle, Michael's little sister was born. But she was in very serious condition. With a siren howling in the night, the ambulance rushed the infant to the neonatal intensive care unit at St. Mary's Hospital, Knoxville, Tennessee. The days inched by. The little girl got worse. The pediatrician had to tell the parents there is very little hope. Be prepared for the worst.

Karen and her husband contacted a local cemetery about a burial plot. They had fixed up a special room in their house for their new baby but now they found themselves having to plan for a funeral. Michael, however, kept begging his parents to let him see his sister. 'I want to sing to her,' he kept saying.

Week two in intensive care looked as if a funeral would come before the week was over. Michael kept nagging about singing to his sister, but kids are never allowed in Intensive Care. Karen decided to take Michael whether they liked it or not. If he didn't see his sister right then, he may never see her alive. She dressed him in an oversized scrub suit and marched him into ICU.

The head nurse recognized him as a child and bellowed, 'Get that kid out of here now. No children are allowed.' The mother rose up strong in Karen, and the usually mild-mannered lady glared steel-eyed right into the head nurse's face, her lips a firm line. 'He is not leaving until he sings to his sister' she stated.

Then Karen towed Michael to his sister's bedside. He gazed at the tiny infant losing the battle to live. After a moment, he began to sing.

In the pure-hearted voice of a 3-year-old, Michael sang:

'You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray.'

Instantly the baby girl seemed to respond. The pulse rate began to calm down and become steady.

'Keep on singing, Michael ,' encouraged Karen with tears in her eyes.

'You never know, dear, how much I love you, please don't take my sunshine away.'

As Michael sang to his sister, the baby's ragged, strained breathing became as smooth as a kitten's purr.

'Keep on singing, sweetheart.'

'The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamed I held you in my arms.'

Michael's little sister began to relax as rest, healing rest, seemed to sweep over her.

'Keep on singing, Michael .'

Tears had now conquered the face of the bossy head nurse. Karen glowed.

'You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. Please don't take my sunshine away...'

The next day --- the very next day --- the little girl was well enough to go home.

Woman's Day Magazine called it The Miracle of a Brother's Song. The medical staff just called it a miracle. Karen called it a miracle of God's love.


NEVER GIVE UP ON THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE.

LOVE IS SO INCREDIBLY POWERFUL.

Life is good.

Have a Wonderful Day!

In God We Trust!

'The evidence of God's presence far outweighs the proof of His absence.'

must love dogs...more than humans?

Before anything else, let's be clear that i LOVE animals. We currently have six dogs at home, including my personal angel who comforted me while i was doing my master's thesis three years ago.

Now that that's clear...

Walking around campus (University of the Philippines Diliman) nowadays, i'm seeing posters of dashing-looking guys, similar to what you see for dating advertisements. Upon looking closer, it's a date auction for the benefit of PAWS (the Philippine Animal Welfare Society). Aww, that's cute, because it's a Valentine-esque activity for the benefit of animals, so everybody wins :)

But...

The posters around UP each show a picture of a guy with his name, looking like he's waiting for his date (of course, targeted at all girls reading the ad!)...i don't have a camera now but hope somebody reading this could send a shot of what i'm talking about.

i couldn't get a copy of the posters online. The official website has, in my humble opinion, a "tamer"/"less blatant"/"less exploitative"(?) image promoting the auction:

The site also gives the following information:

This donation drive will welcome pledges from concerned individuals of the university, one pledge being equal to Php20-Php25. This pledge also serves as a bid for an auction (please keep posted for the date)

The highest bidder will be awarded a free coffee date and a visit to the PAWS animal shelter with the person that she bid for.

Aside from the hastily glossed-over fact that the coffee date is obviously not free because it will be awarded to the highest bidder (!!!)...

...Would PAWS and PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) object to the sale of animals for the sake of humans?

Of course. They would and they are.

So why are we now selling (renting) off these men for the sake of animals?


[Pause and think.]


...Let's all remember to give dignity where it is due. Respect animals, but respect humans too --- and even more so!

Especially for my fellow Christians, i quote:

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." (Genesis 1:26,28)

Animal rights activists are known for making their voice heard, whatever it takes, for the sake of those they are seeking to protect.

i love animals, but let's just say i'm a human rights activist. (And i'll be sending a link of this blog to their site.)