Happy New Year To Everyone, Happy Birthday To Noushy Shah of World United Bloggers

Happy Birthday Ms. Noushy Shah- the gracious and charming lady of World United Bloggers. May God fulfill every secret desires of your heart. May He give you good health and long life, free from any pain or sickness. May He shower you with all the blessings of love, joy, peace, happiness, success and prosperity throughout your life.

Here's a toast to the wonderful and lovely lady of World United Bloggers on your birthday. CHEERS!


Disneyland- Believe in Holiday Magic


Happy New Year to everyone. May the new year bring us our long cherished dreams of love, joy, peace, harmony and prosperity in all the earth.

May there be a genuine transformation in our lives as we pursue a life of sharing and giving to our fellowmen.

May our eyes be opened to the eternal verities of life that emphasize godliness
as against worldliness and the vainglorious pursuit of extreme self interest to the detriment of others.

May we see the extreme sufferings of others who never experience even the most basic things in life and may we learn to share and give part of us to them rather than wallow and consume ourselves to death from all the abundance of worldly pleasures and profligate living.

May we stop hating and loathing each other just because we are different one from the other.

May we learn to respect the beliefs of others and give them their proper space to pursue their own dreams and aspirations without any fear of ridicule and persecutions.

May we all learn that we were not all equally created by God to be similar one from the other, but all of us have individual differences. As we pursue our individual goals in life, may we learn to respect the rights of others to their own goals and pursuits in life.

May we learn to love and be compassionate with others especially those who are less fortunate and those born with physical disabilities. May we be thankful that it is not us who must suffer a lifetime of abuse, persecutions and disdain from a world so full of hatred for those who have been born physically and mentally different.

May we learn not to judge others as we will come under judgment ourselves when we meet our Creator at the end of our earthly sojourn in life.

May we discover the joy of serving others and giving ourselves in servitude to our fellowmen as we share in the burden of existence of our less fortunate and long lost brethren.

May we see the true purpose of our lives and strive for the salvation of our souls and those of other souls so that "none should perish."

"WHAT DOES IT PROFIT A MAN IF HE GAINS THE WHOLE WORLD YET SUFFERS THE LOSS OF HIS OWN SOUL, OR WHAT WOULD A MAN GIVE IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS SOUL?"

A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR TO ALL

Transformation- The Key To Lasting Change For The New Year

TRANSFORMATION- THE KEY TO LASTING CHANGE
Every year as the new year approaches, we make a list of our new year's resolutions. At the advent of each new year, there is always a stirring in our souls to break free from our wretched past. But after only a month or so of futile attempts, we always end up a miserable failure. Why? Because by nature, we are weak and prone to sin. By nature, we are prone to violate our own moral standards. And even if we honestly want to change and take on a new path in life, it is almost impossible for us to do so without assistance from a higher supernatural source.

True transformation, wherein we finally break free from our wretched and sinful existence, is done only through the assistance of the Holy Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit can effect a genuine and lasting change in our lives where we choose to live a godly life rather than a sinful existence. This is what is termed a born again experience and it can be effected only if we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, confess our sins to Him and let His most precious blood wash clean all our sins in life.

By doing this, we invite the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and our long dormant spirit suddenly becomes alive and active. Thus we become a new creation. Our old sinful selves are dead in transgressions and we are now alive in the grace of God and declared holy by the righteousness of Jesus Christ. That is true transformation wherein we live a new life dedicated to loving and serving God and becoming a vessel and a conduit of God's blessings and grace to others.


THE HARVEST IS PLENTY BUT THE WORKERS ARE FEW. WILL YOU HEED THE CALL OF THE LORD TO BECOME A WORKER IN HIS VINEYARD?

Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational

The True Spirit Of Christmas

Our Lord showed us the true spirit of humility when He was born in a humble manger surrounded by farm animals and shepherds. Yet the whole of heaven burst forth in joyous celebrations, capped by the singing of heavenly angels heralding the dawn of salvation for the whole mankind.

Today, as we celebrate this momentous occasion, let us not forget the true spirit of Christmas. Christmas is giving love and sharing our blessings with the less fortunate of our brethren.

Christmas means praying for those who are sick in body and soul, those who are suffering from extreme hunger while we wallow in sumptuous feasts on our dinner table.

Christmas means praying for peace and harmony in our world full of violence, strifes, hatred and intolerance.

Christmas means praying that our world and industry leaders do something to arrest the growing and unabated global warming of our planet.

Christmas means changing our world view and perspective in life from one of unbridled greed and avarice, to a giving and caring spirit, one that beats with compassion and love for our fellow men.

Too long have the evil spirits let loosed by Satan have wrought havoc to the minds and souls of mankind. They are the spirit of avarice and greed, of licentiousness and lust, of unbridled quest for power, of the spirit of hatred, violence and strifes, of the spirit of the insatiable quest for all the riches of the world irregardless of the consequences to other humans and the environment, the spirit of wanton exploitation of our natural resources to the detriment of our future generations.

Thousands of people especially children die everyday because of extreme hunger and starvation and due to untreated illnesses because of extreme poverty.
Unconsumed food and food wastages from affluent countries thrown everyday to garbage bins are more than enough to feed those who are so hungry and those who are dying of starvation in the world.

It is so pathetic to see that pets of rich people in the world eat more expensive and nutritious food than humans in the impoverished countries of the world. How my heart bleeds whenever I see beggars and starving children in my own country scavenging for food in waste bins of fast food restaurants.

How can we be so callous of heart? Do we know that millions of people in impoverished countries of Africa and Asia could hardly eat one square meal a day? Do we turn a blind eye to the fact that millions of vulnerable youths, as young as eight years old, work in veritable slave houses and sweat shops, forced to do adult work with nary or little pay, and imprisoned and guarded in congested and unventilated quarters?

As we celebrate in lavish partying and gorge on unending food and drinks, have we ever stop to consider how many young girls and boys, so tender in age, are lured to child prostitutions by unscrupulous syndicates catering to pedophiles and sex perverts?

Let's give love on Christmas day and everyday of the year. Let us pray for our less fortunate brethren. THAT IS THE TRUE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS!

The Christmas Song - Celine Dion



Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Inspirational

Christmas (What Is Its True Meaning?)

We associate Christmas with endless shoppings, with sumptuous foods on Christmas eve and Christmas day, of never ending gift giving, of going to carnivals and fairs, and other forms of merry making characterized by wanton display of one's affluence and goaded on by crass commercialism.

That's why every year, when Christmas season approaches, 3/4 or more of the world's population feel dejected and lonely. Why? Because they lack the resources to buy all the nice things that will make them and their loved ones (especially their children) happy on Christmas day.

Why? Because they have accepted in their minds that Christmas is all about the ostentatious display of one's wealth come Christmas day. The world has accepted the gross commercialism and materialism that the western countries have ingrained in the minds of all the people in the world.

Everywhere in the world, people associate Christmas with Santa Claus and his gifts, with white Christmas characterized with snow and all the fun games of winter, with Christmas trees, with colorful Christmas lights, with fireworks, with fine new clothes, Christmas caroling, and with plenty and sumptuous foods.

But what is the real meaning and essence of Christmas? It seems that people have lost track of the true reason why we celebrate Christmas.

Luke 2:8-14 says, "And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you: you will find a baby wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger.' Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests."

The birth of Jesus Christ in a humble manger have presaged the opening of heaven's gate for all people to be saved by His eventual death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead. Thus, we should be celebrating Christmas in memory of the birth of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ whom the Father sent to redeem fallen mankind.

We should celebrate Christmas in our hearts as we feel God's presence in our lives. The real merry making and the indescribable joy of the true Christmas will be fully experienced by us when we come face to face with our Savior in His kingdom, to live in blissful existence with Him forevermore.

Let us rediscover the original joy of Christmas by letting Jesus Christ enter our hearts.

O Come O Ye Faithful


Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational

By The Fruits You Will Know The Tree

Do sour trees bear sweet fruits? Or sweet trees bear sour fruits? No, sweet trees bear sweet fruits, and sour trees bear sour fruits. So it is true that by the fruits you will know the tree.

This is also true with humans. We know who the person really is by his fruits- how he interacts with other people. A person can say all he wants to say, but people will only see the very examples that he does, especially in interacting with other people.

So you want to know how a particular person interacts with others? Ask his immediate family. Ask his house helps and subordinates if he is the superior of other employees. Ask his neighbors and friends. Ask his church mates.

The very persons who really know him is his spouse and his parents. Ask them who he really is. You may be surprised by their candid answers.

We may not leave any monuments or lasting memories behind when we are gone from this world, but God will never forget the little things that we have done each day to give a little ray of sunshine to a gloomy neighborhood; that sweet smile that transformed the dreary day of the people we chance to encounter everyday; the kind words of love and comfort that we generously gave to those in need of them; the extra mile we went through with a friend just to help him get by with his problem; the glass of cold water we handed down to a thirsty stranger or the piece of bread to a hungry beggar; the selfless acts we do when we give way to others even if it is already our turn at the gate.

These, and every little selfless acts of kindness we do everyday to all people, will reflect the glory of God in our lives and will serve as tiny seeds of righteousness planted in different souls. In due time and with the right conditions, these tiny seeds will sprout, grow and mature into fruit bearing trees that will also produce the sweetest fruits that will reflect and magnify the glory of God in this world.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

You Are The Sunshine of My Life - Stevie Wonder (1970s) USA




by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational

Joy (That Indescribable Feeling That Wells Up Inside Us)

Joy is different from happiness although to many, they may mean the same. Happiness is contingent upon the realization of a cherished goal or want. Happiness is an external manifestation of that feeling of elation over a positive development in one's life.

We may be happy because we hit the jackpot in a lottery, or we landed a big business deal, or our child won in a spelling bee contest in school, and so many other positive developments in our lives that give us that feeling of wellness and exuberance inside.

Not so with joy. Joy is from the Creator. It is the feeling of indescribable joy that is not contingent on any external circumstances or situations in one's life. One may be in the most miserable and dangerous situation in life and still be in the state of indescribable or overflowing joy. Why? Because indescribable or overflowing joy is anchored on the firm hope and faith of the believer in the promise of His Creator.

Have you ever thought about the reasons why the early Christians exuded that indescribable joy even though they were persecuted, crucified and fed to the lions by their Roman tormentors?

The frenzied mob that flocked the Coliseum during those times were awestruck by the stoic faith and calm in the faces of those Christian martyrs as they were mauled to death by lions, or were burned alive at the cross, or were mercilessly slaughtered by war toughened gladiators.

Expecting that the victims would be so hysterical and fight their tormentors to preserve their own lives, the audience were treated to a sight seemingly out of this world.

The Christians were looking up to heaven and were singing praise and worship to their Creator. Why? Because they were clinging to that cherished hope that they will be with their Creator in His blissful abode after their impending demise.

If we are at peace with our Creator and we know that we are walking in His will, then we have that same indescribable and overflowing joy in our hearts. No matter what the circumstances may be, we may be living in the most wretched situation, yet that same indescribable and overflowing joy will remain in our hearts until we see the day of our eventual deliverance and return to the bosom of our Creator.


Joy To The World


Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational

Pride Goes Before Destruction

PRIDE GOES BEFORE DESTRUCTION
What was the sin of Lucifer before he was cast out of heaven, and before he was thrown down to earth to become Satan? Was it not the sin of pride which caused him to rebel against God and His heavenly hosts (angels)?

Lucifer was the highest, the most intelligent and the most beautiful of God's creation. He was almost like God but was never God.

In his worship like admiration of himself and all his superlative attributes, self pride caused him to aspire to become God. He was able to win over his side, one third of the heavenly hosts and they rebelled against God and the remaining heavenly hosts.

The faithful heavenly hosts of God, led by a lowly archangel by the name of Michael, defeated Lucifer and his rebellious angels who became demons. (Lucifer ranked as the highest Seraphim, and the Seraphims are the highest rank among the hierarchy of angels in heaven. Seraphims and Cherubims are of the highest rank- the first order in the hierarchy of angels, while angels and archangels are on the third and lowest rank).

The worst enemy of man is pride. As the saying goes, "pride goes before destruction." Pride originates from a very high estimation of one's self. A proud man does not want to depend on God, but wants to stand on his own two feet alone. In fact, he rebels against God's authority over him and does not want anybody to reprove him when he does something wrong. The poetic line from the poem "Invictus" characterized him most. "I am the captain of my ship, I am the master of my soul."

This is in direct contrast to God's admonition to man when He declared, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)

We can see the example of king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon in the Book of Daniel. Seeing the splendor and grandeur of his mighty kingdom, he praised himself and attributed all of those to his own glory. He was not yet finished declaring himself to be glorious when God struck him and made him to become lunatic, acting like a beast of the fields and partaking only of dew and grass for his sustenance. Not after seven years had elapsed, and only after acknowledging God's sovereignty over him, did God restore him to his sanity and his kingdom.

Hitler prided himself that he will develop a superior Aryan race and will establish a new world order with him as lord of the world. He was soundly beaten in World War II and committed suicide in his own bunker.

Saddam Hussein, who prided himself as the second Nebuchadnezzar who would bring back the lost glory of ancient Babylon, was caught like a rat in a solitary bunker, sentenced to death and was hanged before his own people.

We can go on and on with our examples. Men who defied God and established their own proud existence were severely punished and were humiliatingly brought down to their knees.

James 4:6b says, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." God loves those who are of a humble heart but abhors those who are proud in their minds. In fact, God gave these three attributes as His most admired ones, and humility was at the top of the list. Isaiah 66:2b says, "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word."

You want to please God? Humble yourself before Him and acknowledge His sovereignty over your life. Remember, pride goes before destruction.


Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines

To God Be The Glory (Struggle To Survive - Part 2)

It was the hardest decision in my life to take. Come to think of it, I had no choice then but to turn to the Lord for guidance and deliverance in those troubled times.

After so much soul searching and inquiries from the Lord, I decided to forgo the
operations and let my wife proceed to the US to work. Actually, there was no choice since we do not have the money for the operations. And even if we do, how can I be operated for three different diseases that all needed immediate surgeries. I think even king Solomon would have been hard pressed to solve that problem.

My wife finally went to the US and I was left alone relying exclusively on the grace and mercy of my God. I have to become the father and mother of my four kids, the youngest of whom was my six years old Princess Heidi.

Oh, problems were aplenty and I terribly missed my wife to share the burden of the upkeep of our house and the rearing of our children.

I have been to the portals of death so many times that I have already prepared myself for such an eventuality. In my sleep, the evil one would taunt me with the possibility of death. So many times, I would hear the vein on my nape snapped as I thought I was already having a major stroke. I knew that a single stroke would kill me since as a diabetic, whatever wound that might develop in my brain would not clot and I would bleed to death.

I have time and again suffered sleepless nights because of the excruciating pain in my lower back and in my groin. I hid those pains to others as I ministered and prayed for the needs of those the Lord had brought to me. But at night, I pour my heart out to the Lord. I shed copious tears to the Lord but never did I question the reason for my terrible pain. I always trust in His unfailing love and mercy.

But it's not all pain throughout. There were respite and relief from the nagging pains in my journey to life. They serve as virtual oases in my desert trek in life.

I have been through a lot of misfortunes and pains that there were times where my faith wavered. Like when we suffered that devastating flood that practically wiped out all our material possessions in our house. My wife suffered scarcity of and intermittent jobs in the US because of the housing and unemployment problems there. And lately, the scoliosis problem of my lower back and the acute hernia and enlarged prostate gland in my groin have caused me so much pain that I could scarcely get up, much less walk.

I no longer use my mind to ponder these things since all signs point to a permanent disability or complete paralysis of my lower body. I hold on to the great promises of God to deliver me from all these trials.

My favorite verse containing His unequivocal promise is, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways,
acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6) He has delivered me from all my trials before, and He will deliver me from them, again and again and again.

Each day that I wake up in the morning, I thank Him for keeping me alive and still become productive for my children and the souls I minister to. Truly, I am now living by faith and not by sight. To God be the glory now and forever. Amen.


Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational

To God Be The Glory (Struggle To Survive - Part 1)

No, this is not a sob story. This post was written not to elicit pity or compassion from the readers. Rather, this post was written to show the incomparable glory of God through His amazing grace in my life.

Thirty years ago, I was diagnosed to be suffering from hypertension. And twenty years ago, I was also diagnosed to be suffering from diabetes type 2 or diabetes miletus. At about the same time, I found out that I have a congenital scoliosis- a disease of the spinal column where there was an abnormal curvature of the lumbar section.

This last disease has caused me considerable pain all through these years and has time and again threatened me with complete paralysis of my lower body.

During those times, I found myself going in and out of work because of my sicknesses. Until I finally retired at a relatively young productive age since no company could tolerate my frequent absences due to constant illnesses.

My wife had to take on the role of bread winner of our family as I switched roles to be the caretaker of our children and our house. It was a bitter pill to swallow to a male ego, but I humbly accepted the reversed role that the Lord has given me and I concentrated on the spiritual upkeep of my family.

The Lord has showered us with tremendous blessings through my wife as she was promoted again and again. I was showered too with countless spiritual blessings as I ministered to the spiritual needs of the souls that the Lord has given to me.

Last year was the turning point in our lives. My wife decided to try her luck in the US to work, as our expenses simply outstripped her income. I used her medical insurance card to seek treatment from the best hospital in our country.

The doctors were astounded in what they saw. I was diagnosed to have a severe hernia and an enlarged prostate gland that both needed immediate surgery. Another doctor who x-rayed my back was taken aback by what she saw. My lumbar 5 bone had collapsed on my lumbar 4 bone in my spinal column. She also recommended immediate surgery. Yet another doctor diagnosed me with an enlarged thyroid gland and also recommended immediate surgery.

But the allowable amount in the medical insurance of my wife had all been used up and her insurance card had to be surrendered to her company so she could seek clearance for her resignation and travel to the US to work.

(End of Part 1)

Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational

BLOG HOLIDAY

I am sorry to all my friends who have been faithfully patronizing my blog through their visits and through the wonderful comments they always leave behind. Be assured that I treasured them all and I regarded you all as my most cherished friends. But I have to declare an indefinite blog holiday because of fortuitous events that have been happening and may about to happen to my life.

As of the moment, there is a super typhoon that was forecasted to pass through our province. The biggest dam in our province has already spilled their excess water and half of our province have already been inundated in floodwaters. The super typhoon was forecasted to pass by our province within two days. To those who were with me since four months ago, they were aware of the devastating flood that swept through our house and devastated all our material belongings. To make matters worse, I have been suffering from severe scoliosis on my lower back and acute hernia
in my gut that prevented me from going out of our house for more than one month now. The pain is so excruciating that I find it almost impossible to sleep peacefully.

I leave everything to the grace and mercy of my God. He will deliver me from all these trials and burdens in my life. To all who need my prayers, be assured that I will continue praying for you and I will appreciate it very much if you can also pray for me.

Thank you very much for your faithful patronage of my blog. I hope that when I come back, you will still be there to visit me and leave your wonderful comments. They have been a source of so much inspiration to me. I love you all with the love of the Lord. God bless you all and have a peaceful and pleasant day to everybody.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY

A One In A Million, Chance Of A Lifetime

Man strives for that one shinning moment in his life, that one in a million, chance of a lifetime, when he can etch his name in immortality and fame.

And so he keeps on dreaming, and in his mind, he thinks of all the great things he will do to achieve just that- immortality and fame.

He marvels at the pantheon of the immortal greats of history- Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, Napoleon Bonaparte, and others.

He marvels at the great minds that shaped the philosophical and intellectual world of mankind- Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, Freud, Emmanuel Kant, Charles Darwin, Karl Marx, Albert Einstein, to name a few.

He spends a lifetime of planning and plotting to achieve that one in a million, chance of a lifetime shot at fame, glory and fortune, and a place among the immortal greats.

He climbs the highest mountains, swims the deepest oceans, treks the unreachable places of the earth, jumps from the highest structures, and so on.

It does not matter whether he risks his life in order to attain that one in a million, chance of a lifetime ticket to fame, fortune and immortality.

Many have perished because of these quixotic quests. Many have fallen by the wayside in their attempt to achieve worldwide recognition. And they died disillusioned, broken and in anguish.

Even the so called immortal greats did not have that shinning moments at their life's end. Julius Caesar was treacherously murdered by his bosom friend. Alexander the Great died of mortal wounds sustained in numerous combats at a youthful age. Genghis Khan also died a lingering death because of mortal wounds of war. Napoleon Bonaparte died in exile, a suspected victim of arsenic poisoning.

Man has time and again, became victim of the illusionary goals of this world. They swim with the collective mindset of the world, established by that great enemy of man- Satan. Like the rats of old, they march to the hypnotic tune of the Pied Piper of Hammelin to the edge of the cliff and to their eventual doom. They strive for greatness only to end up in disaster and doom.

Why? Because God never gave us the one in a million, chance of a lifetime to be great. Instead He gives us little stones scattered all over our lives, to pick up each day until our lives become clean and wonderful, devoid of any litter and trash of this world. We then become a shinning testimony of God's greatness in our lives, as we reflect His wondrous glory. Then we become a light of the world and a salt of the earth, reflecting and magnifying God's glory to the world.

One In A Million - Hannah Montana




Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational

Selflessness - A Gauge Of True Spirituality

Do we have the "give" mentality or the "get" mentality? The answer to this question determines who we are spiritually.

Man by nature is used to have the "get" mentality because of the instinct of self preservation. To him, success means how much he can "get" out of life, and how he can minimize what he "gives" to others.

But as far is spirituality is concerned, the exact opposite is true. True spirituality is measured by how much we can give without expecting anything in return. In fact, most spiritual souls suffer undeserved persecutions and calumnies because they go against the norm of society, which is , to get as much as one can get in this world, where survival of the fittest is the rule rather than the exception.

To be selfless and passive in this dog eats dog world would mean a life full of ridicule and persecutions. Man, in his ignorance, hates the person who is different, who go against the raging tide of what is acceptable to society. Man still uses the old maxim "when in Rome do as the Romans do."

There is also an old saying that goes, "it is better to light a single candle than to curse the whole darkness." As foreboding evil beclouds the whole world, would we participate in the common man's insatiable lust for licentiousness and wanton living? If everybody else seem to have lost the integrity of his soul and has gone the way of living the wicked life, would we do just the same since everybody else is doing it?

Or should we heed the still small voice in our heart that says no to wanton and profligate living? The answer lies in what we firmly believe in. If we believe that life is just a one shot deal where we have to get the most out of our limited existence before we experience annihilation, then the worldly man is right all along. But if we believe that this life is a transitory one, a springboard to a much fuller and satisfying one, then we must do as our conscience dictates us to do. To do otherwise would be like committing spiritual suicide.

The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter - Dave Grusin
The paintings and music in this video are dedicated to Greenearth and Sacrifice-
our resident artists at World United Bloggers. Hope you like the paintings.




Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational

Eternity

We work ourselves to death trying to accumulate wealth for our children to hedge their future against all kinds of uncertainties in life.

We buy all kinds of insurances to ensure the future welfare of our loved ones.

We send our children to the best schools that our meager resources could afford just so we can ensure their future prosperity.

There are times we even sacrificed our scrupples and throw our principled integrity to the waste bin just to accumulate the much sought after wealth to ensure the future of our loved ones.

We worry ourselves to death regarding the future of our children, how they will fare in this jungle of existence where the norm is survival of the fittest and dog eats dog.

We do all these things and so much more, but there is one basic and fundamental question we refuse to even entertain in our minds. The question is:

HAVE WE PREPARED OUR CHILDREN FOR ETERNITY? Think about that.


"THERE IS A WAY THAT SEEMS RIGHT TO A MAN BUT IN THE END IT LEADS TO DESTRUCTION."

Chopin - Op 10 No. 3 in E Major



Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational

La Mer (The Sea)

La Mer (The Sea)
(English Translation of the Song - La Mer by Charles Trenet of France)

Somewhere beyond the sea
Somewhere watching for me
My lover stands on golden sands
And watches the ships that go sailing

Somewhere beyond the sea
Somewhere waiting for me
If I could fly like birds on high
Then straight to her arms I'd go sailing

It's far beyond the stars
It's near beyond the moon
I know beyond a doubt
My love will be there soon

We'll meet beyond the shore
We'll kiss just like before
Happy we'll be beyond the sea
And never again I'll go sailing

And never again I'll go sailing


La Mer (The Sea) - Charles Trenet (1945) - France


The Sea (A Love Poem)
Mel Avila Alarilla

Ah, the sea. So many happy memories we shared by the sea. We used to play along the shores like little children. We gathered shells and made sand castles as we weaved our dreams by the sea.

We watched the sun set by the sea and we marveled at the sea birds flying all around. And we pledged our undying love by the sands of the sea.

As long as there were sands in the sea, we swore our eternal love for each other.
Nothing could ever separate us, not even time and space.

But you have gone beyond the sea, and I am left alone to wade in the cold waters of the sea. As I watch the setting of the sun, I can feel only the emptiness and sorrow you left in my heart that nobody else can ever fill.

Yes, I am left standing alone by the sea, wandering whether you will still come back to me. The sea. How lonely is the sea. It sings a sad song of emptiness in my heart.

As I retrace my steps back to the shore, I am leaving behind a lonely pair of footprints where before there used to be two. The sea. How lonely is the sea.

It becomes now meaningless without you by my side. And I could feel hot tears of sorrow gliding down my cheeks as I try to drown the deep loneliness welling up inside my soul. The sea. How lonely is the sea.

Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Poetry/Literary/Immortal Song/Youtube

The Mind - Receptacle Of Good And Bad Thoughts

The mind is the receptacle of our thoughts, both good and bad, sublime and inane, fanciful and serious. The mind is like the most powerful computer man ever assembled. But the mind is limited to what we feed it. Just like any computer, it's garbage in, garbage out.

We do everything to keep our physical body healthy. We eat the right food, we exercise it and we give it plenty of rest. But we forget that the mind too needs our utmost care to keep it healthy.

Most of the time, we let it wander like a wild horse amidst the random and collective thoughts in the atmosphere. We do not give much thought to what we think- good or bad, sublime or mundane. But what we think most of the time affects not only our mental health, but our physical, emotional and spiritual health as well.

We are the products of our thoughts. Or as the philosophers say, we are what we think we are.

Out of the collective thoughts that we accumulate in our minds mold that substance that goes to our heart and molds our character. And out of the preponderance of our heart's contents determine what we do or say.

The mind also acts like a powerful magnet. It tends to attract like minded thoughts and repel opposite ones. Just like the old saying, "birds of the same feathers flock together," minds of the same wave patterns attract one another and band together.

How often do we feel the holiness of a monastery, the rarefied air we feel there as though we are walking in a heaven like state? And how often do we feel the dread and terror in a prison wall, especially where tortures, riotings and summary executions take place? Why? Because negative thought patterns pervade the atmosphere of that place.

So let us think pure, positive thoughts. Let us think of God, not only in our prayers, but in everything we do. Let us think of the welfare of our fellow men, how we can contribute to that welfare.

We are limited physically by what we can do for our fellow men, but such limitations do not exist in the mind. We can pray for everybody and that is a powerful tool the efficacy of which is mind boggling and unlimited. Nothing is impossible to him who prays and believes.

The Rainbow Connection - The Carpenters (1970s) USA



Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational

Equality - The True Gauge Of A Humane And Just Society

How often do we read about articles lambasting the great inequality of the sexes? How women are treated as second class citizens in their own countries? How wives are abused physically, mentally and emotionally by their own husbands? How in some countries, women are looked upon as mere sex objects by the male populace? And how often do we see female libertarians stand up and cajole their female constituents to band together and fight such discriminations and abuse in their countries to no avail?

Why? Because females by nature are docile and timid. They would rather suffer in silence than go against the established norms of society, where females are perceived to be inferior to men. Tradition and culture play a significant role in this acquiescence of the female populace to the roles delineated to them by society that were mostly crafted by men.

Women must learn to stand up and fight for their own rights. Gone are the days when men looked upon them as mere wives and mothers of their broods who must be the eternal slaves of the home and the marital room.

Women must first treat and respect themselves as co-equal with their men and stand on their own. Women must assert their inalienable rights by learning to say "NO". And they have to stand by it no matter what the consequences may be.

It is sad to note that during times of courtship, men literally give their women heaven and earth and everything that their women fancy. Men give them their undivided attention, profess their undying love for them to high heavens, promise them rose gardens, are so generous and thoughtful to them, and guard and protect them to death against rival suitors.

Alas, after they are married and after the honeymoons are over and the pressure of their peer groups (usually drinking buddies) mount, the timid and lovestruck grooms suddenly become the abusive lords and masters of the house. She is then relegated to become a veritable slave who has to clean the house, take care of the kids, wash and iron their clothes, cook their meals, wash the dishes and do all kinds of houseworks from morn till night.

And after their riotous drinking sprees are over, she becomes now the object of her husband's libidinous desires no matter how tired and unwilling she might be for such a tryst. It does not matter if he smells terrible, reeking with liquor, cigarettes and viands and sometimes smelling of urine in his pants. If she is unwilling, the drunk husband forces himself on her and she has to suffer the ignominy and pain of a marital rape.

Women legislators of all countries must craft laws that provide equal rights and protections for their female citizens against abuse and discriminations even by their own husbands. Prenuptial agreements must be signed by both groom and bride and their respective parents or guardians stipulating the basic and inalienable rights of the bride in their conjugal home. Any violation of said agreement by the husband can give the victim wife all the rights to sue her abusive husband. The state must guarantee the full implementation of these laws. Then and only then can true equality of the sexes be attained.

Remember wives, the first step to emancipation from abusive husbands is to learn to say "NO" and standing by it no matter what happens.

I Am Woman - Helen Reddy (1972) Australia


Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Human Rights/Female Emancipation

Footnotes: This article was inspired by a similar article written by Ms. Sameera of India. We are glad to note that such discriminations are less in developed countries but they still prevail in third world and developing countries, particularly in Asia and Africa.

Horror Of Dracula (Halloween Tale)

When I was a child, I was so terrified by the movie- Horror of Dracula starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. It was all so real to me that I imagined Dracula would suddenly popped out in my room, eyes glaring red in the dark and his fangs glistening in the stillness of the night.

The horror haunted me for more than a week and I could not sleep without the lights on in my room. I was afraid to venture out of our house as dusk settled in. One howl from our neighboring dog would startle me and make me tremble in fear, imagining some creepy creature to be lurking in the dark.

It was all so real to me that I would sleep with bunches of garlic surrounding my bed. It took me quite sometime to get over my fear of that movie and the undead.

That was the time I refrained from looking at corpses in coffins during funeral wakes which my family and I used to attend. I imagined that the dead would suddenly arise straight out of the coffin and pursue me. I was afraid of night creatures like bats and owls or even growling dogs at night imagining them to be disguised vampires.

I used to watch every horror movies that were shown in our local cinemas, especially scary movies dealing with the undead and vampires. It took me quite a long time to outgrow both my fascination and fear of Dracula and the undead.

Going back to that frightening episode in my life, I could not help but smile at my youthful naive gullibility. Now I tell my children that all the horror movies that terrify them are virtual special effects done to scare the wits out of gullible little children who are terrified by tales of the macabre and the unknown.

I include here a very short excerpt of that film that haunted my childhood years for so long. Happy Halloween. Bwaaaaa, ha, ha,ha, ha, ha ,ha.


Excerpt from the movie - Horror of Dracula


Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Movie Video/Scary Tale

Charlie Chaplin (Silent Movie Era)

Charlie Chaplin

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

• •.

Sir Charles Chaplin
Birth name	Charles Spencer Chaplin, Jr.
Born	16 April 1889(1889-04-16) Walworth, London, England
Died	25 December 1977 (aged 88) Vevey, Switzerland
Years active	1914 - 1976[1]
Spouse(s)	Mildred Harris (1918-20) Lita Grey (1924-28) Paulette Goddard(1936-42) Oona Chaplin (1943-77)
[show]Awards Academy Awards Academy Honorary Award 1929 The Circus 1972 Lifetime Achievement Best Original Music Score 1952 Limelight

Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin, Jr, KBE (16 April 1889 – 25 December 1977), better known as Charlie Chaplin, was an English comedy actor. Chaplin became one of the most famous actors as well as a notable director and musician in the early to mid Hollywood cinema era. He is considered to be one of the finest mimes and clowns ever caught on film and has greatly influenced performers in this field.

He acted in, directed, scripted, produced, and eventually scored his own films. Chaplin was also one of the most creative and influential personalities in the silent film era. His working life in entertainment spanned over 65 years, from the Victorian stage and music hall in the United Kingdom as a child performer, almost until his death at the age of eighty-eight. Chaplin's high-profile public and private life encompassed highs and lows with both adulation and controversy.

His principal character was "The Tramp" (known as "Charlot" in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Romania, Greece and Turkey). "The Tramp" is a vagrant with the refined manners and dignity of a gentleman. The character wears a tight coat, over sized trousers and shoes, a derby, carries a bamboo cane, and has a signature toothbrush mustache.

Charlie Chaplin Silent Movie - Table Ballet

Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Feature/Wikipedia/Youtube

Perseverance

Tolerance is a human attitude that favorably reflects our relationship with our fellowmen. Patience is also a human attribute whereby we do things to achieve a certain purpose in life. It is akin to persistence or sticking to a certain goal until its eventual fruition.

But perseverance is different. It is a godly attribute. It is the conscious decision of a person to willingly accept trials and testings in his life with the hope that his Creator has something sublime in store for him at some future time.

Perseverance is anchored on a living faith and an unshakable hope that the words (promise) of his Creator will come to pass no matter what the present situations maybe.

Perseverance is to go against the common directions of man. By nature, man will always throw off whatever yoke is placed on his shoulders. Not so with the person who perseveres. He willingly accepts the yoke (burden), trusting in the faithfulness of his Creator to accomplish His purpose for laying it on him.

Man may have his own individual reasons for willingly and humbly accepting such yoke on his shoulder. Some would feel liberation from the heavy load of guilt and shame caused by past misdeeds in life. Some would consider it a sacrifice and an offering to be at peace with his Creator. Whatever it is, perseverance is done with a godly intention in mind.

And perseverance produces a godly character- one who looks tenderly at his fellowmen and share in their burdens and toils in life. Fasting and prayer is a form of perseverance.

Climb Every Mountain (from The Sound of Music) 1960s


Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational

Let Us Agree To Disagree

We may be poles apart in beliefs, customs and cultures
But let us not quarrel because we disagree
Instead, let us agree to disagree.

Many problems can be solved if only we see through
the eyes of our brother who disagree
But let us not quarrel because we disagree
Instead, let us agree to disagree.

What may be beautiful to you may be ugly to me
and vice versa
What may be edible to me may be poison to you
and vice versa
But let us not quarrel because we disagree
Instead, let us agree to disagree.

You may be fiery and tempestuous always wanting
to get your way
I may be placid and cold always seeking
peace and reconciliation.
Although we may disagree on so many points
Let us not quarrel because we disagree
Instead, let us agree to disagree.

There will always be individual differences
People will have their own points of view,
But if only we respect each others' differences
And dwell on what we can agree,
Then maybe less troubles will arise
Let us all agree to disagree.

Those Were The Days - Mary Hopkin (1968) - UK



Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Poetry/Inspirational

RIDDLE (An Enigma)

RIDDLE

Try to interpret and figure out the meaning of this old, old saying:

The night has a thousand eyes
And the walls have a hundred ears
And I have but a fleeting moment
To spend eternity with you


Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Riddles/Enigma

Peace (Is It Already Extinct?)

Why is peace as elusive as the Loch Ness Monster or the Abominable Snowman? There's so much war, strifes and hatred in this world. Man is intolerant of his fellowmen. We only have one planet where we can all live in peace and harmony. If we don't figure out how we can all coexist peacefully, chances are, we are going to annihilate ourselves and our beloved planet as well.

Peace must begin with the very basic unit of society, man himself. Man must first learn to be at peace with himself before he can even seek peace with others and with the world. A man at conflict with himself can never expect to be at peace with his fellowmen. He will always see conflict in others as a reflection of his own condition of being.

But how can we be at peace with ourselves? We start to have an internal conflict in ourselves when we develop a warped conscience, when our innate sense of right and wrong runs conflict with our actual actuations in life.

Religious beliefs and philosophies in life may vary from person to person, but if he is not at peace with his Creator, he will never have genuine peace with himself. Man's open response to the overflowing love of his Creator for him will result in the welling up of love, joy and peace in his heart, and this will positively manifest in love and relationship with himself, his fellowmen and his Creator.

Let's clean ourselves before we even attempt to see the dirt of others and meddle in their own affairs. If we want to see the unfolding of genuine peace in the world, let us begin with ourselves first.


Let There Be Peace On Earth - Bill Gaither




Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Inspirational

A FRIEND

A friend is a person that you can trust with your very life.
A friend is a person who is always there for you through thick and thin
And who is not afraid to tell you the real score about you.
A friend is a person who has a ready shoulder to cry on.
A friend knows when to shut up when you just need a listening ear to hear your frustrations and woes in life
And the wisdom to speak when you are desperate for guidance and light.
A friend is a person who will give you his undivided time and attention when others have no time for you at all.
A friend is a person who shares in your laughter and joy and commiserate with your sorrows and pains.
A true friend is harder to find than a needle in a haystack. So when you find one, treasure him like a rare diamond in a jewel box.

You've Got A friend - James Taylor - 1971 (USA)



Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Poetry/Inspirational

Tolerance (A Lost Virtue As Rare As Diamonds)

Tolerance means patience and understanding, and knowing that people have individual differences. Tolerance is putting ourselves in the shoes of the other person and always giving him the benefit of the doubt.

Tolerance has many enemies- impatience, bitterness, egoism, hatred, bigotry, antagonism, cynicism and many more. It has few friends. Among them are: love, patience and perseverance.

Whenever you feel that you cannot tolerate a person or a group of persons, reverse your thinking processes. Did it ever occur to you that, that person or group of persons, cannot also tolerate you? Maybe the problem is with you and not with them. We cannot change other people, but we can always change ourselves.

Next time that you feel that you cannot tolerate a person or a situation, try to redirect your focus on your own thoughts and emotions. You may just be mad at yourself for your failures in life, and may just be seeing a reflection of yourself in them. Let us rid ourselves of our own blind spots. Then we will see ourselves as others see us.


Martin Luther King - Free At Last






Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Reflections/Inspirational

Global Warming (The Silent Ticking Time Bomb)

The biggest issue confronting the safety and continued existence of our planet as we know it today, is the escalating danger of global warming. Even world leaders are now locked in continuous conferences and brainstormings to find solutions to arrest this impending global catastrophe. It is the result of man's insatiable greed for wealth, comfort of living and the rapacious and over exploitation of the world's natural resources. The once wide ranging and verdant rain forests that have served as Earth's natural filter and converter of noxious and poisonous gas emissions have dwindled to alarming proportions due to the so called march to progress and development initiated by greedy individuals, corporations and even nations.

The intransigent refusal of many companies and nations to totally ban products that emit harmful greenhouse gas emissions to the air have punched a sizeable hole in the earth's ozone layer. This resulted in the exposure of large areas of our planet to the harmful effects of ultra violet rays and other deadly radiations from the sun.

Thus we are now witnessing the modern phenomena known as global warming. The results of this calamitous occurrence is the rapid melting of the polar snow caps that have raised the sea levels of the world and have threatened to inundate or blot out of existence islands and nations that lie below sea levels; the sudden changes of the world climate, bringing in stronger typhoons, hurricanes and cyclones; massive earthquakes and tidal waves (or tsunamis); and extreme hot and cold temperatures in different parts of the world. This resulted in terrible loss of lives and the destruction of properties, infrastructures and crops.

Is there no more hope for our world? Would our existence as a planet be extinguished as a result of man's inhumanity to his fellow humans and his unbridled
greed for material prosperity, progress and power?

Surely, there is still hope if we all work together as one. Let us disregard our differences as nations and peoples, and work hand in hand to rebuild and save this wonderful planet. And let us all pray together as one, that the Supreme Creator (irregardless of whatever religion or beliefs you profess) bless us with one more chance to redeem ourselves and our planet. Please don't give up on us.


Don't Give Up On Us - David Soul




Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Inspirational/Current Issues