Hope Springs Eternal

 HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL
Are you suffering from excruciating pain because of a lingering illness? Are you broken hearted and feel that there is no more reason for you to live? Do you have mountains of problems that you feel you have already reached the end of the line? Is your situation so desperate that you feel you are already at the very edge of a cliff, ready to fall into a deep ravine? Are you suffering from sleepless nights, worrying and fearful of what tomorrow will bring? Do you feel so alone and lonely as if everybody has left and deserted you?

If so, then you must be desperate and hopeless already and could not see any light at the dark tunnel you are in. But wait, isn't it that hope springs eternal? As long as we're still alive, there is still hope for a better and joyful tomorrow. As they say, there is always light at the end of a tunnel.

And so, we hold on to that hope that after all the trials we are encountering, we will find peace, light and deliverance at the end of that dark tunnel.

We must only cling to that hope. Hope of what? Hope is not dreaming nor wishful thinking. We cannot just dream that our fairy godmother will pop out of thin air and give us everything that our hearts desire. Nor do we dream that we will win the high stakes lotto and wipe all our troubles away. No, it will never work that way.

Hope is anchored on a divine promise. Let us just take one divine promise of hope. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Now we know that God's plan for us is to prosper us and to give us hope and a future. So we hold on to this divine promise no matter what situation we may be in right now.

But wait a minute. There is a price for this. Nothing is free in the economy of God. We have to work for everything. Matthew 6:33 says, "Seek you first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you."
The price is just that. We must seek God's kingdom and His righteousness first.
In other words, we have to walk in His ways and follow His divine will and not our own. Then and only then can we really hope to achieve everything that our hearts desire.


Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational

Rediscovery- The Reawakening Of Our Soul

As we walk in the threshold of a new beginning in our lives, it's timely to reawaken the long dormant dreams and joys in our hearts and rediscover the things that can change our lives forevermore.

Let us rediscover the joy of communing with God in our hearts, of cleansing ourselves of all the dirt and stains of worldly living and walk with faith with Him once more.

Let us rediscover the beauty of nature as we wonder in awe at the majestic mountains rising above everything else in our view.

Let us rediscover the beauty of the sunset in our favorite bay walk as peace and harmony settle down to our boisterous environment.

Let us rediscover the unfolding sunrise in our favorite beach by the seashore as we watch flocks of sea birds flying ecstatically in the skies.

Let us rediscover the joy and thrill of watching in awe the first cry of a new born infant as she struggles to make a resounding impact to a new beginning.

Let us rediscover the joy of expressing our artistic talents once more. They have lain dormant in our creative attic for so long because of our frenzied struggles to eke out a decent living.

Whatever it is that will bring us joy to rediscover that we are still wonderfully alive, let us do it with the exuberance and enthusiasm of youth.

Let us rediscover the joy of actively living and make each moment of our lives truly a magical one. LET US REDISCOVER OURSELVES ONCE MORE.

Top Of The World - The Carpenters

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