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“Joshua” the Movie

What would it be like if we encountered Jesus again — walking among us on Earth — dressed as an ordinary man? Would we recognize Him?

Alex, our friend, lent us a DVD his brother sent him from the States. The title was “Joshua”. We only got to view it in its entirety today as we spent a lazy Easter afternoon at home.


ChristianCinema.com describes the plot as follows:

Based on Joseph Girzone’s best-selling novel, this thought-provoking film asks, “What if Jesus visited small-town America today?”

We all knew he was different. And we all knew he was somehow special. But none of us knew how much trouble we were in. And how much we would end up needing him…”

A man arrives in a small town. At first, no one knows his name; no one knows where he came from. He’s strong. He’s smart. He’s “easy on the eyes.” The locals want to call him a stranger, but when they meet him, he makes them feel quite the opposite – like they’ve known him their whole lives.

Theo, a lovable giant of a man, is the first to shake his hand, the first to learn his name. “Joshua.” It’s one seemingly simple sound that soon makes its way around town, into the hearts and minds of young and old. Joshua’s name falls on the lips of Maggie, the pretty local girl-turned-news anchorwoman. It reaches Kevin, a troubled teen searching for his place in the world. Joshua’s name reassures Joan, a housewife trying to put passion back into her marriage, and it reaches into the soul of a revival tent preacher to pull out a lifetime of shame.

Joshua is seemingly everywhere at once, making the kind of impression that few have ever felt. But it is exactly this influence that creates a division between the stubbornly orthodox Father Tardone and the well-meaning but less-than-confident Father Pat, two priests who believe very strongly in the same thing, but in very different ways.

“Sometimes you gotta’ tear something down to build it back up again.”

As a carpenter, that’s one of Joshua’s favorite sayings. So when the charismatic stranger sets his sights on re-building the burnt down Baptist church, it comes as little surprise that many in the town, regardless of their faith, lend a hand. But what ends up getting built back up are each of their lives, their hearts, their trust in themselves and each other. Joshua has shown them how to believe. Especially Father Pat. And that draws the scrutiny of Father Tardone, who is not pleased with Joshua and his hold over the community.

“Deep in the hearts of so many people, there’s an emptiness that nothing in this world can fill,” Joshua admits, and this is especially true for the seasoned pastor. Why does he shun what others embrace?

When the reluctant priest finally recognizes the way, finally says the word through a whisper and a tear, it comes with the force of a revelation. “Joshua.” It is an exclamation of faith, a declaration of love and the realization that hope indeed does have a name.

That name is “Joshua.”

Hubby and I loved the movie so much and watched even the bonus features of the DVD like the behind-the-scenes features. Apparently, Joseph Girzone, its author, is a retired Catholic priest. He now has a second career as a full-time writer and speaker.

Watching it made me think: really now, if a man like Joshua (let’s put it in perspective in Pinoy speak — if a man maybe called Jose — came to our city or barangay or subdivision, and acted like Joshua did, would I have recognized Jesus? Would I have been like the people in trouble who saw their hope in him? Or would I have been like Fr. Tardone who initially viewed him with suspicion and disdain? What would my heart have said to me about this man?

The words of our community conference just recently echo now in my ears: “See My Face; Be My Face”. Six short words; 6 POWERFUL words. Jesus does not need to physically be with us again these days. All we need is to look at all the people we encounter in our day-to-day life and try to see if we can see Jesus in them. And then look inwardly into ourselves and feel Jesus within us trying to reach out to these people through us.

This fictional movie was not just meant to be entertaining, I think, but sends a powerful message of God walking with us everyday and more often than not, we actually do not recognize him.

Hubby and I will try to check out if this is available here. Does anyone know if this DVD is available here in Manila?

I strongly recommend that if you can find a copy, don’t fail to watch it. It is a movie fit for all ages.

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What Your Sleeping Position Says About You

HOW YOU SLEEP SAYS MORE ABOUT YOU THAN YOU THINK!

I came across an article that talked about how sleeping positions reveal a little bit of one’s personality.

The article stated that “Professor Chris Idzikowski, director of the UK Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service analysed six common sleeping positions – and found that each is linked to a particular personality type.”

OK, before we go on to the rest of the article, look at the illustrations below and decide which is your most frequent sleeping pose.

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Credit: http://news.bbc.co.uk

READY? Click on the link below.

Continue reading “What Your Sleeping Position Says About You”

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Beware of this M.O. (it happened to me too!)

My officemate sent this email to me today and asked if it was the same M.O. I had recounted to them several weeks back. Reading through the email sent shivers up my spine because it was almost as though I was the one telling the story.

Different place (hers was SM, mine was near my ortho); different amount (he only asked me for a little over P500). Other than that, everything else she recounted was pretty much the same. I could not tell from this lady’s physical description of him if it was the same guy who accosted me though.

This is a real M.O., people — down to the beso-beso (as though I was a long lost friend) and hanging on to my hand as he recounted his sob story.

It’s getting a bit scary that such persons appear to be making the rounds of Makati.

This guy gave himself away to me right away so I was careful and alert with my bag and my ring. In his case, it did not pay to talk too much. He told me that he saw me often going to Mass at Greenbelt Chapel (where he claimed he was a Lay Minister) and also saw me often walking along the streets of Rufino. Welllll….how could that be when I had not been to Greenbelt Chapel in years (I stopped working for many years!) and I only go to Rufino St. for my ortho visits.

Watch out for this guy! Here is the lady’s story:

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Please take note of this incident at SM-Makati:

Dear Family and Friends,

This happened to me early this afternoon at Makati SM. Because I wasn’t aware of this new modus operandi, only by the grace of God I did not  become another victim!

I was walking along the ground floor between the supermarket and the  department store when walking toward me was a rather neat looking aged man, all smiles. When he was in front of me he reached out to shake my  hand and at the same time he kissed me on both cheeks! (YAK!) He was  carrying a black Missal and a Bible. Taken by surprise and trying to recall  who he was (I thought he surely must be a friend I hadn’t seen for a while and had now forgotten. I was embarrassed to ask his name!) He started talking almost without a pause saying he had just come from the  Greenbelt Chapel where he had served at their noon Mass. He told me he was now a “full time lay Minister”.  Then he told me “Si Papa may stage 4 cancer” and he wasn’t expected to last throught this night; that right now Monsignor Bacani was sitting with him by his hospital bed and tonight they were planning to take him to the  Archbishop’s Palace for the wake. (I thought – but he isn’t dead yet!)  But they needed money to pay for his final morphine shot and dextrose as he was in much pain.

Could I please lend him P5,000.00? All this time he was holding my right hand. I said I didn’t have any money on me. He then asked for even a few  hundreds just to help. Now finally becoming aware of his intention, I again said I didn’t have money at all. He finally let go of my hand. My 2 rings were still on my fingers! They were a bit tight to put on and to remove.   While this man was talking and looking at me, my eyes were wondering as I am wont to do when I am trying to remember something  – a habit. I sort of try to push my eyes up into my brains to help me  remember!

Later while waiting at the Meralco “Senior Citizens” room I chatted up an elderly lady seated beside me and recounted my experience. She was surprised that I wasn’t aware of this latest scam. Usually the man will stare into his victim’s eyes and manage to hypnotize her to empty her wallet for him. Other instances he makes the hypnotized victim walk to an ATM and withdraw money to hand over to him!

Her aunt had been victimized by what appears to be the same man from our matching descriptions!  He is between 40 and 50 years old, about 5’8″ to  5’10”, neat looking, kayumanggi, carrying a Missal and Bible. He always kisses his victims so people around would not suspect a crime was in progress!

If you are approached (and kissed!) please, do not  look into this man’s  eyes when he is telling his story! It’s only my bad habit of “rolling my eyes” when I am in deep thought that saved me!

Please inform your family and friends so this modus operandi will come to an end!

Thank You.

(identity kept private)

 


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5 Reasons Why God Uses Problems

A friend sent this to me by email today.

How do you react when problems come your way? If you ask me, I would rather NOT have problems. My first instinct is to avoid anything that would cause problems. And yet, like everyone else, I have my own dose of these — and MORE sometimes. But as I read this, I felt my heart lighten. Having problems suddenly took on a new perspective, like a fresh breath of air. Suddenly, even the toxic day at my office today did not seem too bad.

And so I share it also with you — that we may all be blessed by it and see our problems in a different light.

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5 Reasons Why God Uses Problems :

The problems you face will either defeat you or develop you – depending on how you respond to them. Unfortunately, most people fail to see how God wants to use problems for good in their lives. They react foolishly and resent their problems rather than pausing to consider what benefit they might bring.

Here are five ways God wants to use the problems in your life:

1. God uses problems to DIRECT you.
Sometimes God must light a fire under you to get you moving. Problems often point us in a new direction and motivate us to change. Is God trying to get your attention? “Sometimes it takes a painful situation to make us change our ways.”
Proverbs 20:30

2. God uses problems to INSPECT you.
People are like tea bags…if you want to know what’s inside them, just drop them into hot water! Has God tested your faith with a problem What do problems reveal about you? “When you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience.”
Jam es 1:2-3

3. God uses problems to CORRECT you.
Some lessons we learn only through pain and failure. It’s likely that as a child your parents told you not to touch a hot stove. But you probably learned by being burned. Sometimes we only learn the value of something…health, money, a relationship. .. by losing it. “It was the best thing that could have happened to me, for it taught me to pay attention to your laws.”
Psalm 119:71-72

4. God uses problems to PROTECT you.
A problem can be a blessing in disguise if it prevents you from being harmed by something more serious. Last year a friend was fired for refusing to do something unethical that his boss had asked him to do. His unemployment was a problem – but it saved him from being convicted and sent to prison a year later when management’s actions were eventually discovered. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good…
Genesis 50:20

5. God uses problems to PERFECT you.
Problems, when responded to correctly, are character builders. God is far more interested in your character than your comfort. Your relationship to God and your character are the only two things you’re going to take with you into eternity. “We can rejoice when we run into problems… they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady.”
Romans 5:3-4


Here’s the point:
God is at work in your life – even when you do not recognize it or understand it. But it’s much easier and profitable when you cooperate with Him. “Success can be measured not only in achievements, but in lessons learned, lives touched and moments shared along the way.”

LIFE IS AN ECHO. What you send out, you get back. What you give, you receive.
WHEN YOU BRING OUT THE BEST IN OTHERS, YOU BRING OUT THE BEST IN YOURSELF.

MAY GOD BLESS US ALWAYS….

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Earth Hour 2008

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO REDUCE THE EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING?

Join Earth Hour 2008 this coming March 29, 2008, 8 PM.

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Last year, March 31, 2007 to be exact, Sydney turned off its lights for 1 hour.

– 2.2 million people

– 2,100 businesses

Sydney landmarks like the Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House turned their lights off; weddings were done by candlelight. That collective effort resulted in reducing the city’s energy consumption by 10.2 percent for that hour, equivalent to taking 48,000 cars off the road for an hour.

Inspired by Sydney, other major cities are joining Earth Hour 2008, Manila included (with WWF-Philippines leading the pack). In their website, WWF-Philippines reports that “Pasay City Mayor Wenceslao “Peewee” Trinidad agreed to turn off all lights along Manila’s historical Roxas Boulevard seaside strip for 60 minutes on 29 March to show support.”

 

What can YOU do? The Earth Hour 2008 website gives these suggestions:

  1. Sign up for Earth Hour 2008
  2. Get involved and create a bigger, better Earth Hour
  3. Reduce your impact on climate change
  4. Create your own Earth Hour event
  5. Calculate your carbon footprint

In its list of participating cities, Earth Hour 2008 reports Manila’s vision as follows:

The people of Manila care deeply about climate change and we are united in our resolve to meet this challenge in the best way that we can. This is why the City of Manila has teamed with WWF to make Earth Hour 2008 a success around the world by being the lead city in Philippines participating in the simple but momentous act of turning off the lights for one hour.

Here in Manila we understand that climate change is the most significant threat to life on Earth. One way to slow the current rate of global warming is for each individual and business to make small adjustments to the way they live. To meet the threat of climate change we need to demonstrate how simple and easy it is to make the small adjustments to our lives that begin to make the difference.

An event like Earth Hour that achieves full community involvement in a simple action like turning the lights off can make a huge difference. And even more importantly, it will mark the beginning of a campaign to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of Manila significantly by the time Earth Hour 2009 comes around.

WWF and Manila invite all households and businesses to take part in Earth Hour by turning off their lights for one hour at 8pm on March 29 2008. Information on how you, your business or local community can get involved in Earth Hour 2008 can be found on the Earth Hour website.

Let’s do our share. Pass on this information to your family and friends.

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A Taxing Season

This weekend finds me turning my attention to taxes.

There are real estate taxes to pay. I just finished paying off the taxes for the land where our home stands on. There went a huge chunk of my home budget.

Now I need to send out checks to various Treasurer’s Offices. Not that we have a lot of properties. My Dad passed away years ago with tiny properties here and there but the effort to pay the taxes (writing checks, preparing covering letters, mailing them out via registered mail) is the same as having large tracts of land.

I also just recently renewed my cedula, will renew my professional tax license, and by April, pay my income tax. Add another month and tuition fees will be upon us.

Such a TAXING SEASON indeed!

For legit, working citizens like myself, paying taxes lops off a huge chunk of take home pay but it is a duty that everyone has to one’s country.

I cannot help but think though that those who are in power and who are deeply into corruption are taking home so many millions more than ordinary citizens like myself and get away without paying the corresponding taxes on them.

If there was such a thing as a Corruption Tax that charges a certain percentage for every kickback made, I think that tax would build more roads, feed more poor, erect more public schools, provide potable water, bring electricity to many parts of this impoverished country of ours.

The Government is supposed to be the good steward of monies received from its citizens. When that money is squandered and goes to the pockets of people in power, the citizens are left thinking what the heck they are paying their taxes religiously for.

I am not advocating that we stop paying our taxes. I just wish our leaders would realize just how much it takes from each and everyone of us to pay them and finally, finally put it where it is needed most.

*sigh*