E-Mail quarantine

E-mails never cease to amaze me.  Every day when I check my cyber accounts, I find a variety of messages not only from family and friends.  Nowadays I have to deal with a nonstop flow of absolute nonsense bordering on… you guessed it right… SCAM.

It’s funny because complete strangers have sent me marriage proposals, inheritance notices, investment propositions and job offers.  Lesbians have e-mailed me for connections, stating that I was “the one” they’re looking for.  It’s all so flattering except for the fact that they have no idea what I look like nor do they know my gender preference.  At any rate, they’re barking up the wrong tree!

This sad situation brings me to the possible conclusion that the world is populated by too many lonely, desperate and inconsiderate people.  Worse, there seems to be an abundance of those whose full-time preoccupation is to propagate a scam, steal people’s identities and make money off innocent folks.

Spam e-mail is a vicious activity that I find very frustrating.  It succeeds only in littering people’s e-mail accounts, spreading trash in the electronic universe and contributing to cyber clutter.  Don’t people have anything better to do?  Are we so desperately unproductive as to stoop that low?

My “Do unto others” mindset is that I don’t do it to anyone so why is it being done to me?  I have enough clutter in my life to get rid off.  I don’t need all that cyber garbage to perpetually stress over!  The simple thing to do is to let the e-mail system filter out the trash, right?

Let me tell you something.  Many times in the past, I found legitimate e-mail messages in my Spam and Junk folders.  Fortunately, I fell into the habit of sifting through the garbage just in case.  Well, my proactive approach paid dividends because many times I found messages from long-time friends, schoolmates and long ago work associates sitting in that area!  Thank You, Jesus!

My BFF Josie once shared her disappointment when a former high school classmate never responded to her e-mail.  I told her that perhaps the message found its way into the “Thou Shalt Not Read”… I mean, junk... folder.  The woman the message was sent to was once a classmate of mine too and I couldn’t believe that she would ignore a message from an old friend. She is a school teacher which made the “hello-how-are-you” message oversight simply unbelievable.

My advice to everyone is to not totally ignore the spam quarantine of your cyber mailbox.  Who knows, there just might be a lovely surprise waiting to be found!

Browsing the future

Not too long ago, I posted “Reaping the havest”, not really expecting to get any feedback.  Was I pleasantly surprised when my brother sent me an e-mail informing me how the piece touched his core.  The story was a work of fiction, but it left a beautiful lesson that self sacrifice can bring an unexpected bountiful reward

When I started blogging right after Thanksgiving 2010, my primary purpose was (1) to share with my invisible audience my thoughts, idiosyncracies and ideas; and (2) to, hopefully, touch a nerve.  I figured that if I could move even one mind or, better yet, uplift a single spirit, my job was absolutely done!

In my blogging posts, I’ve always tried to maintain a positive energy (except when sharing news of a real life tragedy), trying my very best to stay away from the muddy waters of negativity.  Many years from now, I’d like to be able to look back and pat myself on the back for taking the high road.  The unfortunate truth is that there are many people out there who thrive on saying the ugliest of things and painting the darkest of pictures instead of taking the opportunity to sow seeds of optimism and kindness.

We have been blessed with the advantages of the world wide web to use for common goodness, not destruction.  The very sad reality is that many apparently disturbed minds utilize the power of the Internet to wreck havoc, even evil, wasting a precious opportunity to spread goodwill.  Perhaps it’s due to the absence of a God in their lives, and if that’s the case, we should lift them up in our prayers. 

If today is the last day of our life, and we have this final chance to leave a lasting impression, what would it be? 

Freeze that thought.

Appreciating the Fourth

Today is America’s Independence Day which, according to Wikipedia, is the 185^th day in the Gregorian calendar, the 186^th in leap years.  If you do the math, there are only 180 days remaining until we say, “Hello, 2012!”

Independence from what?  The Kingdom of Great Britain.  The Thirteen Colonies (Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts Bay, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Providence, South Carolina and Virginia) declared their independence during the American Revolution and formed the United States of America. 

If those colonies didn’t do what they did, today’s citizens will still be British subjects paying allegiance to the Queen of England.  In addition, we’ll be speaking with an English accent!  What a lovely thought.

The Fourth of July is a national day and federal holiday in the United States because it commemorates the July 4, 1776 adoption of the Declaration of Independence.  Postal workers get to take a break from delivering mail and Corporate America takes a day off from the work grind to enjoy time with family and friends.

Americans celebrate this occasion big-time with ceremonies, parades, fireworks, picnics, barbecues, baseball games and family reunions.  Supermarkets are busy before this day as people buy choice cuts of meat to cook on the grill.  Fireworks are banned in many places, but that doesn’t stop folks who would like to celebrate with a bang.

Where I live, the weather forecast is extremely warm.  It augurs well for all kinds of outdoor celebrations.  I won’t go overboard expressing my holiday appreciation, but in my heart I’ll simply rejoice for what America means to me.

Thank you, Uncle Sam... and God bless America!



Sweet surrender

Was it my favorite therapist, Dr. Oprah Winfrey, or the Prosperity Minister (Joel Osteen) who taught me to surrender each challenge and every despair into the Hands of the Almighty Father?  From either one or both I learned that when burdens get too heavy to bear, the best way to confront the problem is to surrender the load to the Good Lord.

During the most painful phase in my life, I did just that.  Look where I am now!

Below is a prayer for people who want their Invisible Friend and Father to carry their unbearable hardships (http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/prayers/Abandonment.htm).

Prayer of Abandonment

Father,
I abandon myself into your hands;
do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you:
I am ready for all, I accept all.

Let only your will be done in me,
and in all your creatures -
I wish no more than this, O Lord.

Into your hands I commend my soul:
I offer it to you with all the love of my heart,
for I love you, Lord, and so need to give myself,
to surrender myself into your hands without reserve,
and with boundless confidence,
for you are my Father.

Charles de Foucauld



 

A Short Prayer

Lord help me

to remember
that nothing

is going to happen
to me today that You and I
together can't handle.

Amen.

Praying for a job

My friend who got laid off in 2009 hasn’t been lucky in finding employment.  I was in the same boat for two years seven years ago and I absolutely feel her pain.  There is nothing more depressing than not getting a regular paycheck and there are bills to pay.

If you are among humanity's unemployed, please keep the faith that someday soon you will be getting up in the morning to go to work.  If you remember to daily manifest yourself in that situation, it will become your exciting reality! 

Below is a Catholic prayer I found for people looking for jobs.
It might help to expedite your back-to-work journey.  Good luck and God’s blessings!



 A Prayer For Employment

God, our Father, I turn to you seeking your divine help and guidance as I look for suitable employment.

I need your wisdom to guide my footsteps along the right path, and to lead me to find the proper things to say and do in this quest. I wish to use the gifts and talents you have given me, but I need the opportunity to do so with gainful employment.

Do not abandon me, dear Father, in this search, but rather grant me this favor I seek so that I may return to you with praise and thanksgiving for your gracious assistance.

Grant this through Christ, our Lord. 

Amen.

Hot and bothered

It is electric fan season in my house.

It would be awesome to have airconditioning relieve my body of Mother Nature’s heat, but when I ponder on the power consumption savings, the sheer thought cools me down.

Every year at this time my neighbors’ airconditioning units are humming with the birds.  Not this year, I’m afraid.  My neigbors aren’t just scrimping on the power usage, but perhaps being considerate of the global warming effects in our world.  Just thinking of the recent catastrophes in some places make me thankful that my home didn’t come with central airconditioning.  Not only have I saved on energy bills, but I feel proud that in my own little way, I am doing what I can for the Global Warming Guru’s (Al Gore’s) cause.

Come to think of it, fresh air is better than the cool breeze that comes out of a metal box.  The refreshing air from Mother Nature doesn’t come with chemical fluids that aren’t good for the human body.

Sure, the summer heat could cramp one’s style, but sweat coming out of the pores of the skin can be cleansing.  I don’t mind fanning myself when I feel the heat.  In fact, the act of fanning can be refreshing… both physically and mentally.  Not only is the hot and bothered body being relieved, the mental clutter in our head gets dissipated.  In Asian countries, women spend money on exotic-designed wooden fans as though they were a fashion accessory.  Then learning to open the fan with grace is in itself an art.  

However we prefer to spend handling the heat is anyone’s game.  Go around half-naked if you wish… spritz water on your face… carry a portable electric fan to cool your body… carry around pints of water to quench your thirst…stand a la Marilyn Monroe over a sprinkler… lay spread-eagled on the lawn.  It doesn’t matter.  Pretty soon the cold weather will be here and summer days will become a faint and distant memory.

For now, enjoy the summer.  Go outdoors and commune with Mother Nature.  Walk as though you're noticing the view for the first time.  Pause to smell a rose.  Try to find a butterfly.  Give a tree a hug.  Chirp with the birds.  Look up and say “Thank You” to the skies.  Chase a squirrel.  Outrun your dog.  Jog around the block and show off your spandex.  Bike some miles and be grateful for strong legs.

Chances are, the coming low temperatures will make you wish that the sunny sun came to stay. 

Money Bags

Back in May, three days before the May 21^st apocalyse non-event to be exact, my male associate e-mailed an unusual July feng shui occurrence.  I was encouraged to pass it on because not following this instruction might have catastrophic financial consequences.  Whether it’s true or not, I am a feng shui believer so I’m doing what I've been told.

This year, July has 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays. This happens once every 823 years. This is called money bags. So, forward this to your friends and money will arrive within 4 days. Based on Chinese Feng Shui the one who does not forward will be without money.  Not taking any chance!

July 2011

Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Kinda interesting - read on!!!

This year we're going to experience four unusual dates.

1/1/11, 1/11/11, 11/1/11, 11/11/11 and that's not all...

Take the last two digits of the year in which you were born - now add the age you will be this year,

The results will be 111 for everyone in whole world. This is the year of the Money!!!

The proverb goes that if you send this to eight good friends money will appear in next four days as it is explained in Chinese FENG SHUI.

Those who don't continue the chain won't receive.

It's a mystery, but it's worth a try.  Good luck. 

Dancing with their dreams

credit:  http://www.fox.com/dance/photoshub/

My Wednesday and Thursday evenings these days are spent watching the latest season of “So You Think You Can Dance” (SYTYCD).  Every year I can’t help but feel impressed as the latest bunch of contenders outdance their previous peers.

Dance is the window to the soul.  One either possesses the grace to move with the beat or not.  It is pure enchantment to watch someone do a magical solo or a pair move their hearts out to a titillating beat.

The boys and girls competing in SYTYCD this season are breathtaking in their movements.  The efforts exerted in completing the routines are far from average because there is a super abundance of fluid expressions those young people are capable of.  It is apparent that they are dancing for their lives, because recognition of their aesthetic skill can bring them a reversal of fortune.  They are the world's lucky ones because they get to do what they love most… and they can flaunt it!

I have never seen Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy sound so superfluously positive about the bunch of contenders they are critiquing.  They are extravagant in their praises… and for a good reason.  Even they are amazed at the incredible talents before their eyes.

For each and every boy and girl competing for the SYTYCD plum part, I wish you the best and may your dreams bring you the reward you’ve been working for.  You dance like no one’s watching… and you bring joy to those who see your moves.  Thank you for realizing so early in your lifetime what exactly you’re meant to do in the universe.  You deserve life’s blessings!

Prayers for cancer patients

Over the weekend I learned the sad news that a member of my family has been undergoing chemotherapy for colon cancer since February.  The realization prompted me to research the appropriate healing prayers for cancer.  I know that there are many folks out there who are currently fighting this disease who can benefit from the information and prayers below.  May these bring you the solace you need in this difficult time.

St. Peregrine is the patron of cancer patients.  To get to know this saint, below is a bit of information from http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/novena/peregrine.htm: 

St. Peregrine was born in 1260 at Forlì, Italy to an affluent family. He lived a comfortable life as a youth, and politically opposed the papacy.  After he experienced the forgiveness of St. Philip Benizi, he changed his life and joined the Servite order.  He was ordained a priest, and later returned to his home to establish a Servite community.  There he was widely known for his preaching, penances, and counsel in the confessional.  He was cured of cancer, after he received a vision of Christ on the cross reaching out His hand to touch his impaired limb.  He died in 1345 and was canonized in 1726.  He is the patron of cancer patients.

credit:  http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/novena/peregrine.htm

Novena to St. Peregrine

Glorious wonder-worker, St. Peregrine, you answered the divine call with a ready spirit, and forsook all the comforts of a life of ease and all the empty honors of the world to dedicate yourself to God in the Order of His holy Mother.

You labored manfully for the salvation of souls. In union with Jesus crucified, you endured painful sufferings with such patience as to deserve to be healed miraculously of an incurable cancer in your leg by a touch of His divine hand.

Obtain for me the grace to answer every call of God and to fulfill His will in all the events of life. Enkindle in my heart a consuming zeal for the salvation of all men.

Deliver me from the infirmities that afflict my body (especially.....).

Obtain for me also a perfect resignation to the sufferings it may please God to send me, so that, imitating our crucified Savior and His sorrowful Mother, I may merit eternal glory in heaven.

St. Peregrine, pray for me and for all who invoke your aid.

Prayer to St. Peregrine

O great St. Peregrine, you have been called "The Mighty," "The Wonder-Worker," because of the numerous miracles which you have obtained from God for those who have had recourse to you.

For so many years you bore in your own flesh this cancerous disease that destroys the very fibre of our being, and who had recourse to the source of all grace when the power of man could do no more. You were favoured with the vision of Jesus coming down from His Cross to heal your affliction. Ask of God and Our Lady, the cure of the sick whom we entrust to you.

(Pause here and silently recall the names of the sick for whom you are praying)

Aided in this way by your powerful intercession, we shall sing to God, now and for all eternity, a song of gratitude for His great goodness and mercy.

Amen.

credit: http://www.saintgeo.com/peregrine.htm

A Prayer to St. Peregrine for One Suffering from Cancer

 

Dear St. Peregrine, I need your help. I feel so uncertain of my life right now.
This serious illness makes me long for a sign of God's love.
Help me to imitate your enduring faith when you faced the ugliness of cancer and surgery.
Allow me to trust the Lord the way you did in this moment of distress.

I want to be cured, but right now I ask God for the strength to bear the cross in my life.
I seek the power to proclaim God's presence in my life despite the hardship,
anguish and fear I now experience.

O Glorious St. Peregrine, be an inspiration to me and petitioner of those needed
graces from our loving Father. Amen.

Unfit Moms, Inc.

Recently a 22-month old girl was hit by a van in the parking lot outside the family condo while her 30-year old mother was upstairs engrossed in Facebook.  Apparently, the little girl was left unsupervised while she went about her business to keep herself amused.  The mother’s negligence led to the little girl’s death.

Neighbors interviewed after the tragic accident confirmed the mother’s apparent lack of care for her children who had been seen running around in soiled diapers that sagged to their knees.  Hopefully, before the tragedy this mother wasn't perpetually in the habit of spending her days on Facebook or surfing the Internet rather than looking after her children.

The driver of the van that killed the child wasn’t charged, but the mother was arrested for child abuse.  Thank God for fair justice!

I wish that the mother used better judgment by having her child within a few feet in her presence at all times.  If she couldn’t be kept from her Facebook activity, how hard would it have been to make sure that her child was within proximate distance?  Why would she allow her child to play downstairs while she was on the second floor of the house glued to a social network?  Accidents can happen at the blink of an eye, and human death can take place in a snap.

While I feel sympathy for this family, I cannot help but feel disgusted over the mother’s lack of common sense and parenting skill.  Let’s face it, there are many so-called parents out there who don’t know the first thing about responsible parenthood.  Unfortunately, the offsprings they bring into the world usually suffer from their incompetence.

Not too long ago, a mother killed her two children (ages 6 and 9) then attempted suicide.  She and her husband were going through financial hardship and a divorce.  Apparently, she would rather see her kids dead than share custody with her spouse.  When her plan to kill herself fell through, she called 911.  The cops who came to her home found the lifeless children in their room.  It wasn’t immediately known what killed the kids who didn’t show any sign of trauma on their bodies.

Sad, isn’t it?  The woman bore her children and made personal sacrifices to raise them only to end up snuffing their lives.  It’s unthinkable, but the depressing reality is that many more mothers like her have committed similar crimes right in their own homes.

It is a topsy-turvy world we live in.  Daily stress in people’s lives can take its toll and the weak in spirit can end up mentally tattered and emotionally destroyed.  This is a time when we should include such lost tortured souls in our prayers.

The power of giving

“Thank You, Jesus, for giving me more than enough

so that I can be a blessing to others.”

Every night before I go to sleep, the above line is my prayer ritual.  If I have had a long day, the words carry more special appreciation for challenging burdens overcome.  Since exercising this nightly routine, I have felt abundant, not in terms of material possessions, but in the gracious acceptance that I have more than enough, in body, mind and spirit.  Perhaps it is the positive joyful mindset that brings about my state of real or imagined prosperity.  I therefore recommend this prayer to anyone wishing a meaningful sense of being.

I have also observed that during times when I kept a tight fist on my money (that is, not spending even for stuff that could have brought me a great deal of joy), I didn’t genuinely feel abundant.  In fact, those were the days when something would usually come up (an unforseen household emergency, for instance) to necessitate unbudgeted spending. Perhaps, it was because by keeping the money with an iron hand, I was actually blocking financial progress because I wasn’t creating a flow in my life.  Money has powerful energy.  To be able to receive, we need to give or spend some away.  Although I was constantly giving to my charities, when it came to pleasing or rewarding myself for working hard with items that money can buy, I was a total tightwad.  The saying “charity begins at home” should be taken seriously!

Tithing, or the ten percent gift-giving to the Church and charitable causes, has been a recommended practice to ensure life's continuous blessings.  This practice distributes ten percent of gross income for charitable giving.  I painfully practiced Church tithing for about three years a very long time ago.  In return I received blessings beyond my expectations.  In recent years, I have updated my tithing method to not make it exclusive to the Church and charities, but to the people I know who could use financial assistance.  I figured that although the financial support I extended to the Church has lessened, helping God’s less fortunate children would be tantamount to helping the Church.  That's exactly what Dear Jesus would do, right?

The ability to practice selfless generosity is a blessing because it means that there is the presence of financial resource(s) at one's disposal.  It could come from solid and gainful employment or a variety of money-generating sources.  In other words, an overflowing abundance!.  Have you noticed how the world’s rich are always giving away some of their wealth to charitable foundations and worthy causes?  You see, it's quite easy to be generous when people have more than enough.  Also, there must be this commonly recognized unwritten law that if one's well endowed materially, and some of the fortune is shared with deserving projects, the return will be more than a hundredth fold.  It must be true because the multi-digit millionaires and billionaires are outdoing themselves in their charitable giving!

Recently, I stumbled on a book that has made me question the universally accepted tithing practice.  According to the author, there is nothing in the New Testament that ties the faithful to the Church's ten percent tithing requirement.  Be that as it may, I don’t see anything wrong with helping the Church or the less fortunate members of society or our friends and family.  If we feel abundant, the best way to show it is to share with God’s underpriviledged children.  I don’t think that there should even be a law about giving to others. Generosity is a very personal thing and everyone should have the discretion to give or not.  The exercise is a matter of faith and conscience.

Before reading “The Tithe That Binds” by Rory O Moore (http://religion.is-killing.us/TheTithe.pdf), I felt some guilt about lessening my Church-giving in order to extend financial assistance to others.  The author has somehow validated my thinking that my giving will accomplish more if given directly to those who can benefit from my sharing. To quote some pertinent passages from Moore’s eye-opening book:

When we give directly to a brother in need, we are giving

directly to Christ Jesus. (Mat. 25:40) “And the King shall

answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye

have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have

done [it] unto me.” (Pro. 19:17) “He that hath pity upon the poor

lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay

him again.”

But according to the church law of the tithe, we are to

tithe first, then we can go ahead and give to the needy brother.

(Heb. 6:10) “For God [is] not unrighteous to forget your work and

labor of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye

have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” The majority of

New Testament Scriptural passages which speak of ministering

to the saints have to do with giving and sharing with the

less fortunate. “That the rich be careful to maintain good works,”

has everything to do with providing for those in need. But the

common church model perverts this teaching to support the

organization first with tithes and offerings, then, if you have

opportunity, you can remember the poor.

Since we have been liberated from the law of tithing, we

are more excited about giving than we have ever been, looking

to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, to speak to His

sheep where and what to give. We have been more blessed as

we are learning to listen to God and give where He directs. It is

true! God loves a cheerful giver, and you will love to give when

God directs your giving.

So where should a Christian give? Every Christian should

begin to ask God, not a man, “Where should I give?” Then go

to the Bible and prayerfully pay attention to where God says the

giving should go. Expect to hear from the Lord and have the

courage to depart from tradition, including the regular Sunday

collection habit. You will be amazed to hear God tell you in

specific terms to whom and how much to give. You may even

end up meeting the unspoken needs of God’s people, and be

blessed accordingly, as you rejoice in helping a brother or sister

in need!

If anyone desires a blessed future, I recommend giving from the heart.  Not only is the joy to be experienced good for the soul, basking in the beautiful thought of being instrumental in uplifting souls and sending positive vibes to the Universe is spiritually healthy.

Giving is a personal choice.  I hope that should anyone choose to share their blessings with the Church or deserving others, it is not coming from an expectation of reward, or what Moore calls “tithe-to-prosper,” “give-to-get,” “tithe-to-be-blessed” mentality.  Give from your heart and see miracles unfold!



The Statue

Below is an informative piece forwarded by my BFF Josie...

This statue currently stands outside the Iraqi palace, now home to the 4th Infantry division.

It will eventually be shipped home and put in the Memorial museum in Fort Hood , TX.

The statue was created by an Iraqi Artist named Kalat, who for years was forced by Saddam Hussein to make the many hundreds of  bronze busts of Saddam that dotted Baghdad .

Kalat was so grateful for the Americans liberation of his country.  He melted 3 of the heads of the fallen Saddam and made the statue as a memorial to the American soldiers  and their fallen Warriors.

Kalat worked on this memorial night and day for several months.

To the left of the kneeling soldier is a small Iraqi girl giving the soldier comfort as he mourns the loss of his comrade in arms.

Do you know why we don't hear about this in the news?

Because it is heart warming and praise worthy.

The media avoids it because it does not have the shock effect. 

But we can do something about it. 
We can pass this along to as many people as we can in honor of all our brave Military who are making a difference. 

And please pass this on!