‘Tigok’ — pero “WAGI!”

A new day dawns this morning, signalling the ‘death’ of winter.

Today is March 21, a ‘moment’ in a year known to astronomers and meteorologists as vernal equinox, and the spring season “officially” begins today (In the Southern hemisphere, it’s the reverse: autumn begins). In all parts of the earth, the daytime hours and nighttime hours are equal (12 hours each). The sun rises and sets at the exact eastern and western horizon.

This photo was taken yesterday (Mar 20), the last day of winter. The sun set at a point in the western horizon (at the middle of the photo) somewhere behind the trees (compare this with my SUNSET photo of December 21).

“Patay ang Diyos” — ‘eka ng matatanda… At iyon eh mula kaninang alas-tres pa daw…

Tapos na rin yung mga ilang araw na pabasa ng mga matatanda (yung mga “Pasyong Kikays” o “Sex Bagang girls” eka? ). Ahehe, huwag you seryosohin ang jokes ko, ha? Sa tutuo lang, wiling-wili ako sa pakikinig ng tradisyong yan ng ating matatanda. Yung TRADISYON lang ha? Sa Day By Day Christian Ministries nga, ibinabalik nila yang Pabasang Kristyano — pero bilang AWIT NG PAGPURI, walang pana-panata.

Si Pedro… o si Hudas?

Simon Peter and Judas Iscariot (from CorelDraw graphics)

Hindi ko malimutan ang isang kwento sa komiks na nabasa ko nuong early 1980s. Tungkol ito sa isang batang abot-abot ang pighati dahil sa kanyang namanang apelyido at sa ibinigay na pangalan ng kanyang mga magulang…

Barakulyo Palampatetot. Aha-ha-ha! …kabantot nga ano?

Obvious namang hindi dahil lang sa napakahaba nito kung ipipirma, ayaw ni Barakulyo na panghabambuhay nyang taglay ang ganitong pangalan. Kaya nung magbinata sya at nagkaruon na ng sariling hanapbuhay, gumawa sya ng paraan.

Nagtiis syang pumila sa NSO para makakuha ng kopya ng kanyang birth certificate (muntik pa ngang pumatol sa isang fixer?)… Bumayad sa kung sinu-sinong abogado de kuliling para sa mga kailangang affidavit at kung anu-ano pang pang-ewang… Nag-atten-atten ng kung anu-anong nakakaantok na hearing para lamang makamit ang pinakamimithing pagbabago ng pangalan.

Sa malaon at madali, matapos ang di-hamak na sakripisyo at ginastos, napalitan naman ang kanyang pangalan. LAB na LAB na nya iyon. Siya na si…

Only Begotten Son

For YOU (Good Friday Bonus)
JUST SHARING (from the “Couple’s Devotional Bible”)
This article’s author: Nate Adams
Bible Passage: John 3:16-21

Key Verse: John 3:16

Jesus said: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

I was shaving when I heard a crash in the bedroom. The full-length mirror that was leaning against our bedroom wall must have fallen. Then I heard Caleb’s scream.

I flew around the corner to see a zillion pieces of broken mirror on the floor – and Caleb, my 19-month-old, lying in the middle of it. Then I saw the blood.

The sight of my son’s blood overwhelmed me. I snatched him up and scanned his body. Though the glass had been scattered all around him, the only mark was a small scratch on the inside of his left ear. Only a trickle of blood flowed, so it was apparently more fear than injury that was forcing his tears.

The interesting thing about this little crisis is now I can’t read, hear or even think of John 3:16 without remembering Caleb lying in the middle of that broken glass. That most familiar Bible verse had become much too familiar, even trite to me. But now when I hear it I get a lump in my throat, thinking about what kind of determined, redemptive love could be strong enough to let an only Son cry out in pain on a cross.

A few months after Caleb’s accident, our second son was born. I no longer had an “only begotten son.” But as I experienced the joy of a new life and an expanded family, I realized in a fresh way that it was Jesus’ death that made it possible for the Only Begotten Son to have many brothers and sisters.

MARRIAGE BUILDERS

• How does having children, of your own affect your perception of God’s sacrifice of his only begotten son?

• How has sacrifice been part of love in your marriage relationship?

Additional Scripture Readings: Romans 5:8-9; Hebrews 9:20-28

Worthwhile Sacrifices

For Husband and Wife ( Day 18 of 18 )
JUST SHARING (from the “Couple’s Devotional Bible”)
This article’s author: Sally Conway
Bible Passage: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Key Verse: Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!”

Marriages go through periods when the strong partner needs to carry the weaker one. And then later on, the roles will shift. Years ago, when Jim was struggling through a mid-life crisis, I did what I could to carry him. More recently, as I battled breast cancer, Jim carried me.

Not only was he with me through the biopsy and the surgery and the immediate days afterward; but when I began chemotherapy and really lost my power and my dignity, he stood by me emotionally and physically. He served me as if he had been hired to wait on my every need. I had an infection begin in my incision, and a large gaping hole developed. That had to be drained and dressed every day. My dear Jim would bend over me with his tender eyes. He cared for that infection every day for nearly ten months.

In times like that, you just hang on to each other. Jim went above and beyond the call of duty in seeing that I could recover. He let me be a miserable mess and helped me get through it. He said, “I’m here to help you get well.”

MARRIAGE BUILDERS

• Describe a time when you were struggling and your spouse was there for you.

• What are some of the strengths that make the two of you a good team?

Additional Scripture Readings: Isaiah 35:1-10; Hebrews 12:12