Genie In A Boto

Gusto mo ba ng maginhawang buhay?
Gusto mo ba ng magarang bahay?
Gusto mo ba ng mamahaling kotse?
Gusto mo ba ng ipod, PSP, Nintendo Wii, at ng Nokia N90?
Gusto mo ba ng laptop o ng DLSR camera?

May katuparan na ang inyong mga pangarap!

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Never Alone

“I will…not forsake My people.”
I Kings 6:13 NKJV

The Lord is with us. And, since the Lord is near, everything is different. Everything!

You may be facing death, but you aren’t facing death alone; the Lord is with you. You may be facing unemployment, but you aren’t facing unemployment alone; the Lord is with you. You may be facing marital struggles, but you aren’t facing them alone; the Lord is with you. You may be facing debt, but you aren’t facing debt alone; the Lord is with you.

Underline these words: You are not alone.

Your family may turn against you, but God won’t. Your friends may betray you, but God won’t. You may feel alone in the wilderness, but you are not. He is with you.

1 of 365 devotionals in Grace for the Moment, Volume 2
Originally printed in Traveling Light

Mirrored:

It is comforting to learn that no matter what we go through in this life, we never have to go through it alone. Should friends and family fail to be with us, God is there. He is always there. Even in times where we decide to run off from His will, his eyes are always upon us. Watching and waiting for us to realize our mistake and to go back home and confess our sins. I know, for every sinner who has gone astray, He desires for them to return home.

Father, sorry. Don’t give up waiting for me.

Akon (feat. Snoop Dogg) - I Wanna Love You

Akon’s sophomore album, entitled Konvicted, was released on November 14, 2006. Konvicted included collaborations with Eminem, Snoop Dogg and Styles P. Late August 2006, Akon released the single “Smack That” featuring Eminem, from the album. This single peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks. The music video for “Smack That” was directed by Raymond Garced. “I Wanna Love You”, the second single off Konvicted, was released in September 2006. It is a collaboration between Akon and Snoop Dogg. This single earned Akon his first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100, and Snoop’s second. “I Wanna Love You” topped the U.S. charts for two consecutive weeks. (Source: Wikipedia)

Lyrics not included due to explicit content.

San Agustin Church and Museum

I managed to visit the San Agustin Museum and Church on one lazy Sunday afternoon. I decided not to talk much about the historical facts and backgrounds about the place since they are easily accessible on the web. However, I do want to stress out two points on why you should not fail to visit this place:

One, the San Agustin Church is the oldest church in the Philippines. Built between 1587 and 1606, it has survived a number of earthquakes and wars and is the only building left intact after the destruction of Intramuros during the 1945 Battle of Manila.

Two, the San Agustin Church, together with three other ancient churches in the country (2 in Ilocos and 1 in Iloilo), was designated as part of the World Heritage Site “Baroque Churches of the Philippines” in 1993 by UNESCO.

Cameras are either prohibited or allowed with no flash depending on the museum sections. Below are some of the pictures I managed to take. Click the image to enlarge.

NOTES:

1. The trompe-l’oeil painted ceiling of the church, chandeliers and pulpit dating back to the XIXth century, and four of the fourteen side chapels.
2. Father Manuel Blanco is regarded as the “prince of Botany” for pioneering in the study of medicinal plants in the Philippines. This bronze monument was made by Amado Castrillo.
3. Fray Blanco carried out most of his experiments at this monastery garden which was destroyed in 1945 and restored in 1991.
4. The main staircase is made of 44 pieces of Chinese granite stones brought in Canton in 1780. It is topped by a perfectly round stone dome covered with light bricks. Here hangs XVIIIth and XIXth century paintings.
5. The crucifix dates back to the XVIIIth century.
6. Part of the 68 choir seat carved in molave with fine inlays.

The San Agustin Church is located in Calles Gen Luna and Real in Intramuros and is open daily from 8am to 12nn, then at 1pm to 6pm. Entrance fee is at 80 and 50 pesos for adults and students, respectively.

For more photos, visit Pix.E.Log.

He Gives Us Himself

“I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:20 NIV

The story is told of a man on an African safari deep in the jungle. The guide before him had a machete and was whacking away the tall weeds and thick underbrush. The traveler, wearied and hot, asked in frustration, “Where are we? Do you know where you are taking me? Where is the path?” The seasoned guide stopped and looked back at the man and replied, “I am the path.”

We ask the same questions, don’t we? We ask God, “Where are you taking me? Where is the path?” And he, like the guide, doesn’t tell us. Oh, he may give us a hint or two, but that’s all. If he did, would we understand? Would we comprehend our location? No, like the traveler, we are unacquainted with this jungle. So rather than give us an answer, Jesus gives us himself.

1 of 365 devotionals in Grace for the Moment, Volume 2
Originally printed in Traveling Light

Mirrored:

I do not like being left in the dark. I guess no one does. As much as possible, we all want to know the things that will unfold in the future and make necessary adjustments today.

Among the many times I have asked God, “Where are you taking me?”, there was not a time I received a definite answer. A pastor friend once told me that God chose not to reveal the destination because He wants us to trust Him.

With questions such as, “Where is the path?”, God indeed answers nothing but, “I am the path. Follow me.” He does offer Himself.

Unfortunately, I was never contented with those answers. And like a traveler who is unacquainted with the jungle, I have gone off wandering through life fearing that I may not like the destination my guide is leading me.

Foolish? I know.

Thank You, Miss Julia Campbell

It is now confirmed. The body found buried in a shallow grave on a dried-up creek in Batad Wednesday morning was that of US Peace Corps Julia Campbell. My heartfelt sympathy goes out to her friends and family.

I have no knowledge about Miss Campbell prior to the reports that she had gone missing while on a trek to Banaue last April 8. What I know about her now, I all learned from the reports following her disappearance.

News reports revealed that she was a hard working volunteer. Testimonies of the people she touched attests to her kind heart. Her pictures showed a lady with a radiant face, a striking smile, and a lover of life. It saddens me deeply that death caught up on you on the hands of a local from the land you have learned to love.

In your life, you have brought joy, encouragement, and hope to those people you have helped. In your death, you have inspired and touched us strangers who came to learn of your life. Thank you for sharing your life with us Filipinos.

To know more about Julia, visit Julia In The Philippines.

Azure - Stick Around

Just like classic R&B/Pop acts like Prince and Earth, Wind and Fire, Azure mesmerizes live audiences with exciting, energetic performances. Both on-stage and in the studio, lead vocalists Douglas Y and Geno Medina intertwine their voices smoothly, delivering Azure’s lyrics with passion and intensity.

Interestingly enough, although the band formed in 1991, three of the members have been playing together for considerably longer, thanks to their family ties. Geno, Mario Valentin, and Ronnie Medina are all cousins. The Azure story wouldn’t be complete, however, until the trio saw Douglas performing in a rival Midwest band.

“One night, Doug got on stage with us and joined us for a song, and it was an unbelievable feeling,” Ronnie said. “We all had this vibe you get when everything comes together perfectly and you know you’ve hit on something special.” (Source: Amazon)

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