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Forestview homes is a beautiful subdivision located near SM and Xavier Highschool. It is an economic housing project developed by Pueblo de Oro. It is currently under development for phase 3, and they have just added two model homes, the Erika model house and the twin homes.

Our Delightful Inheritance

"Lord you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I waill praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken."

Psalm 16: 5-8

Just sharing to you one of the scriptures the Lord gave to me when I took the board exam. In retrospect, I praise God for His immeasurable grace and faithfulness. He has brought me through one of the toughest challenges in my life and He has kept me for Himself thus far. The Lord is full of love and compassion, His ways are unsearchable to men. And when we finally see His plan unfold before our very eyes, we too, like David, will be able to say with confidence that we have a delightful inheritance. 

God bless you today.

Contributed by:

Kuya Popong

Time Machine

"Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." - Matthew 6:34

The Time Machine. It's human nature to want to turn back time, to relive moments in their lives of glorious splendor. Or perhaps to speed up time to see the wondrous future, or to make fast the suffering one is undertaking currently (like Med School! GAAAAH!).

But see, time machines don't work that way. How do I know? Because I have one.

Going to the future on this is pretty simple. However, I've learned that this time machine that I have can't turn back time. Now you're thinking it's pretty useless, but then I wondered why, and stumbled upon an easy answer. See, if it could go back into the past, and since this time machine is so easily acquirable, then the world would be in utter chaos! Time includes EVERYONE, so if everybody started changing their pasts, then there would be no real history. The space-time continuum would be broken in pieces! So that is why it can't do that, its some kind of failsafe mechanic for our lives to actually work despite the use of this time machine.

Now, to tell you about this time machine.

There was a boy, he was 10 years old, and he was riding a car. A nice Corvette convertible. The driver of the car, an old Italian man, was going 90 on the highway. Top down, the wind was blowing through their hairs, the fields as far as the eye can see from both sides disappeared in hazy blur. The Italian man then said to the boy, "You know what a time machine is?"

The boy wondered, and said "Yes, I do. Why?"

"You're riding on one" the Italian man smirked.

The boy was perplexed. This car, a time machine? That's silly.

Seeing the boy all confused, he pointed with his thumb towards the back. "That is the past."

He pointed towards the road ahead with his index finger and said, "That is the future."

Lastly, he pointed on the steering wheel and said, "Here, now, I am driving this beautiful baby. I have to make sure I do it right, or else I won't be able to go to the future," as he nodded towards the road ahead, "and this, is the present."

Sometimes we get so overwhelmed with what is happening now, with all the work, all the studying, and all the seemingly endless suffering that we wished that we could turn back time to easier days, or rush through today so we can see a brighter tomorrow. But without the here and now, without knowing what we need to learn, to experience, to bring with us for tomorrow, there would be nothing waiting for us. No better us, no better days, no better lives. And if the past were to be easily altered, there would be no YOU now. That's why we can't go back in time, for the lessons we learned back then is exactly the reason why who we are today.

No tomorrow, no yesterday. Just today, is sufficient enough. To enjoy life, to savor it's bitterness and sweetness, to stop and smell the flowers (or maybe even perhaps the pollution?), to see that smile on a child who have less than what we have, to live LIFE. This is what it's all about.

Tomorrow will deal with itself, when we get there.

I found out that my shoes were magical time machines. I'm sure you could find one in your closet.

Antonio Miguel Unabia

Med Student

To Forgive And Forget

"One day Peter asked, 'Master, how many times should I forgive someone who keeps wronging me? Religious people agreed that it was fair to forgive a person three times but Peter generously suggested, 'how about seven times?' Jesus smiled and shook his head. 'No Peter,' he said, 'seventy times seven is nearer the mark."

"Forgive and forget." I have encountered this phrase about a million times over in my life, and it's one of those that I'd personally like to brand as ''cliche!"

Some people say it's rather easier to forgive, yet difficult to forget, and others say and think the other way around. If you ask me, neither one is "easier'' nor ''difficult.''

 

I am no stranger to fights or falling-outs. And I am well aware that being in that situation is rather unpleasant, all because I'd always have to CHOOSE between forgiving and forgetting the person(s) who has/have wronged me. Quite honestly, I barely know of a time when I did both.

But here's the thing: I've noticed that whenever I try to ''forget'' someone (and claim to have forgiven that person), sooner or later thoughts about that person would resurface in my mind, and we all know that it can't be helped (human as we are). And the danger there is that, if the thoughts come out in a bad way, then surely I'd be talking smack about that person again, just as I did prior to ''forgiving, yet forgetting" him/her. Well it obviously isn't forgiveness, is it?

On the other hand, when I choose NOT to forget my wrongdoer yet decide NOT to forgive him/her, I feel very heavy inside- as if there were elephants trapped inside my chest. It is all because I keep a grudge and refusing to let the faults/misdeeds go when they all need to. 

The bottom line is, you cannot really do away with either one (i.e., forgiving or forgetting). As much as we all refuse to face that fact, these two actions MUST always go together. Here's the deal: if Jesus had ''forgotten'' about those who had done him wrong, then why are those people able to receive his blessings still? I mean, why are they still able to eat, sleep at night, possess things, experience life's joys, etc. the same way that His faithful friends/followers do? And on the other hand, if He kept a grudge and never forgave sinners, then why are WE still here? Why does He continue to love us, considering the weight of our sins?

Ergo, the reason why Jesus advised Peter that forgiveness is done ''seventy times seven."

Contributed by:

Maria Inez Lacaya Ocampo

Student Respiratory Therapist

Find a way to the real world

As real as this world seems, it is just a stopover. The real world for us is Heaven and the eternity we hope to spend there. A sure way to get there is to live a holy life on earth.

Follow the model. When Jesus said, "I am the way" (John 14:6) He meant for us to follow Him and live as He lived. Jesus did not retreat from the world. He ate, slept, worked, and cared for friends and family, much like we do. Search the gospels for clues to imitate Jesus in your own life.

Eliminate distractions. Are there thoughts or activities which hold your attention longer than they deserve? For example, do you watch more television than you should, or spend too much time on the internet? Cut back and give the time you saved to God in some way.

Embrace the tough stuff. There are days when we are tempted to stay in bed, but God intends us to work (Genesis 2:15) and deal with our burdens instead of hiding from them. Cheerfully handling work and suffering turns problems into prayers.

Look over your shoulder. God is with us each minute of every day in a very real sense. Become conscious of His prescence and you will increase His influence over your actions.

a post from Christ the King Church

as submitted by:

Maricar Uy

Half Turn Notes

I believe it is possible for ordinary people to achieve extraordinary things. For me, the difference between an "ordinary" and an "extraordinary" person is not the title that person might have, but what they do to make the world a better place for us all. I have no idea why people choose to do what they do. When I was a kid I didn't know what I wanted to be when I grew up, but I did know what I didn't want to do. I didn't want to grow up, have 12 kids, get married, the whole white picket fence thing. And I certainly didn't think about being an activist. I didn't even really know what one was. When I decided to live a life hundred eighty degrees from my past with the idea of trying to change in this country. I certainly had more than a few ideas about how to begin, but what if nobody cared? What if nobody responded? But I knew the only way to answer those questions was to accept the challenge. If I have any power as an individual, it's because I work with other individuals. We've all worked together to bring about extraordinary change. The 180 degrees kind of life is not just about fun, fun, and more fun -- it's about the power of individuals to change and live in a different way. I believe in both my right and my responsibility to work to create a world that doesn't settle for, but where we seek different solutions to our common problems. I believe that these days, daring to voice your opinion, not by merely talking but living it out, can be an act of courage. I know that holding such beliefs and speaking them publicly, I mean living it out is not always easy or comfortable or popular just like Paris Hilton. But I believe that life isn't a popularity contest. I really don't care what people say about me -- and believe me, they've said plenty. For me, it's about trying to do the right thing even when nobody else is looking. I believe that worrying about the problems plaguing our planet without taking steps to confront them is absolutely irrelevant. The only thing that changes this world is taking action. I believe that words are easy. I believe that truth is told in the actions we take. And I believe that if enough ordinary people back up our desire for a better world with action, we can, in fact, accomplish absolutely extraordinary things. Verse to reflect on: Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.   2 Corinthians 4: 16 Contributed by: Ernie Gagno

Addiction No More

“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”

Luke 5: 12

Raised by Christian parents, grew up with strong Christian values. When I was young I never imagined that it would become one of the dark chapters in my life where I was hooked with drugs.

After I graduated in high school, I was blessed to go to a well- known university in the Philippines. But when I started my first year of college life. Everything was so different. I felt intense freedom which resulted to failing grades. I ended up returning back home to finish college.

That was in the year 2001, I was so depressed I got involved with people who changed my life after that time. It was out of depression and curiosity, I did it. I took the drugs in my system and it had been a craving for 3 years. It was God’s greatest battle for me. I felt it. I remember I would come home not in the right mind, my dad would hug me and he would say this “ How is my daughter? How’s school?” And he would kiss me in the forehead.

I would just run into my room and burst into tears. I can’t take it. And then the drug’s effect slowly would be gone and depression sets in again. Every time we took it, i would pray in my head “ Lord, please save me from this. Make me stop ...please...” I wanted to be saved, to be cleansed from all this wrongdoing. Addiction is a sickness that I believe only God can make it stop as long as you are willing to.

After 3 years of battle, I just woke up one day and the craving was gone. God saved me. I believed he healed me from it. I was the only one in the group who never resulted to drug rehab. Praise you Lord God!


-Jean