3:16

#LoveWins — this is something that I have seen a lot lately. Screaming through social media, how “love won” in the recent legalization of same sex marriage in America. Every one seems to have something to see about this issue. I’ve seen reactions from both sides just from my news feed. Imagine how it’s going through the world wide web. My heart is breaking to say something about it, but my mind is busy handling all the what-ifs if I do.

Enough with all the what ifs and I’m going to say it. Yes, my heart is grieving. It grieves on how much we’ve fallen. I tried many phrases to say where we’ve fallen from, but every time I type it I contradict myself and just end up deleting everything. Have we fallen far from God? Have we fallen far from the Word? I’ve read online that we should not worry because it is only the law of man that changed. And that God still stands above all these. True, but it does not change the fact that He is grieving for our humanity. I also read the argument that why base our beliefs on a book that is outdated. False, because the Bible talks about homosexuality. It’s there, if only people would choose to read it.

Homosexual or not, what we choose to do with who we are plays a huge part of what we will become. I’m almost tempted to say that a homosexual person giving back is much better than a corrupt heterosexual. But then again, it is not our actions that makes us better. I honestly don’t know how to end this post. I’ve been wanting to say something both to reassure and challenge the LGBT community but I don’t think I have the right words to say. So I would just like to tell you something else. The story of how #LoveAlreadyWon.

He made everything we don’t see like angels, demons and spirits. He made everything we see like the sky, the sea, trees, animals, the earth and all that is in it. Finally He made man and woman and put them in a beautiful garden.

He told the man and woman, “You can eat of any fruit of any tree in this garden, except for this one tree. If you eat from that tree, you will die.” And they continued in friendship.

But remember I told you that God created angels? Well there was this one angel who was very beautiful and powerful. He became proud and wanted to be the Most High God. But God said, “There can only be one Most High God, and that’s Me.” So God took this angel and threw him out of heaven, along with one-third of the angels who were with him. This beautiful angel is now known as the Devil and the angels with him are known as demons.

The Devil went to the woman and tempted her to eat of the tree. The woman took some of the fruit and ate. She gave some to her husband, and he ate too.

They disobeyed God’s command; they sinned. There were major consequences to this.

•    God cast the man and the woman out of the garden, and their relationship with God was cut.

•    Man could no longer live forever. Everyone would die once, and then the eternal punishment for sin.

They offended the infinite justice and holiness of God.

But God loved them anyway, so He was making a way for them to get infinite forgiveness.

Time passed and the people multiplied. Then God told His people, “I want you to get infinite forgiveness, so here are ten rules for you to follow. If you obey these rules, you will get infinite forgiveness.” The rules included things like do not take the name of the Lord in vain, honor your father and mother, do not bear false witness against others and more. But even though there were only ten rules, the people could not do them. They still sinned.

 But God loved them anyway.

So He said, “Here’s something you can do. Take the blood of a perfect animal and spill it. If you spill the blood of a perfect animal, you will be forgiven. Because without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness of sin.”

So the people agreed and they did that. But over time, it became an empty ritual or repetitive religion to them. So God was angry and said, “Do you think that religion can get you infinite forgiveness? I’ve had enough of your sacrifices!”

But God loved them anyway.

So at just the right time, God sent His Son, Jesus. Jesus was a great man. Everybody loved Jesus. He was very wise. He taught the people exactly how to get infinite forgiveness. No one ever taught like Jesus.

He was also very powerful. He did countless miracles. It was especially powerful when He gave infinite forgiveness to people. One time, a large crowd gathered around Him. There was a certain politician who wanted to see Jesus. Let me ask you, do you like corrupt politicians? Of course not! Well, the people hated this certain politician because he was corrupt. Also, he was very short, so he could not look over the crowd to see Jesus. So this man ran ahead of the crowd and climbed up a tree. Jesus saw the man and said, “You there, in the tree! Come down. Let’s eat together; I want to be your friend.” The man couldn’t believe it. He hurried down and prepared a meal for Jesus.

During the meal, the man stood up and said, “I can’t believe that You and I are friends now. I am so happy! Look, I give half of my goods to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will return it fourfold.” Jesus said, “Infinite forgiveness is in you, My friend.”

One time, some men brought a paralytic on a bed to Jesus. But the crowd was so large that they could not enter the house that Jesus was teaching in. So they got up on the roof and removed the tiles. The men lowered their paralytic friend down to Jesus. When Jesus saw this, He looked at the man and said, “Your sins are forgiven, now and forever.” The people were shocked and asked Jesus, “Can You really forgive sins?” Jesus answered, “Yes I can. I have the right to give infinite forgiveness. Let me show you.” Then He told the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your bed and go home.” The paralytic stood up, took his bed and went home. Everybody was amazed by what they saw.

There was another time that one of Jesus’ friends died. This made Jesus very sad. He went to his friend’s tomb and the people were mourning. Jesus said to the family, “I can give infinite forgiveness, so that you don’t have to die anymore.” He had the tomb opened and said, “Friend! Come out!” Then the man who had been dead, came out alive!

So everybody loved Jesus. But some people were jealous of Jesus. These were the religious leaders. They hatched a plan to arrest Jesus and crucify Him. They succeeded. So they arrested Him, beat Him and then crucified Him: which is when you take two planks of wood and nail a man to it.

Jesus is the only man who doesn’t deserve to die, because He never sinned. But there on the cross, His perfect blood was spilled. And when God saw that, He said, “That is the sacrifice. That is what will get infinite forgiveness.”

And this infinite forgiveness is very effective. In fact, there were two robbers crucified alongside Jesus. One of them told Him, “If You’re the great Hero, then save Yourself.” But the other robber said, “What are you saying? We are here because we have sinned, but this Man has done nothing wrong. Jesus, remember me when you enter into Your kingdom.” Jesus answered, “Your sins are forgiven, now and forever. Today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

They all died. Jesus’ friends buried Him in a tomb. Then after three days, something amazing happened. Jesus rose from the dead! Proving that everything He said was true. Proving that He really could give infinite forgiveness.

Do you want infinite forgiveness? How do you get it? Well, the Bible says that Infinite forgiveness is a gift.

Here, I have a gift for you.  What do you do? You take it right? How much effort did you place into receiving that gift? Ok, now is it yours? Can you enjoy it? Use it? Play with it? Yes, right?

Ok, let’s do it this way. Here, I have a gift for you, but you don’t take it. For whatever reason, you’re shy, you can buy it on your own, I don’t know it was a free gift.

For whatever reason, you don’t take it. Would this be yours?

It’s the same with infinite forgiveness.

Want something infinite? How about infinite forgiveness?

It’s been a while

Hi blog,

It’s been a while. I have been thinking about you for some time now, but I never got the chance to actually write. I have been working for over a year now. How has it been? Well, it’s been quite a ride. Lots have happened and I know a lot are still to come. I’m actually writing this while I’m still here in the office. I am waiting for the system to load. So this won’t be a very long post. Just thought I could use some new words in my blog. It’s been dead for some time now. Hoping to get it alive and kicking again. I somehow miss the writing part of me. I have been writing tons of e-mail everyday in my office life, but it still doesn’t amount to actually writing a post. I don’t know. Maybe it’s the emotion that’s missing. In e-mails you always have to be professional.

Anyway, someone just sent me an e-mail. So might as well check it out. Hoping to write another one soon.

Love,

myshiee

TwentyThirteen

Coward

Something impulsive and unfiltered just this time.

I’m scared.

and this maybe the first time I will admit that I am. And not just the typical scared-of-the-dark kind of scared. This might be the I’m-so-scared-can-I-just-curl-up-in-my-bed-sleep-and-do-nothing-until-I-grow-up-and-have-the-courage-to-do-this kind of scared. The red crooked line is telling me to stop using hyphens, but it’s my way to tell you how I feel, well, close enough.

It sucks that I have to take action. Why can’t it just be okay and skip all the drama and tension. But then again, I haven’t really tried it so how can I be sure of the ‘tension’. The assuming me is killing me or maybe it’s just the scared me. I’m ranting here and if you can’t stand it, I’m sorry you took the time to read my post. Can I just stay in my comfort zone forever? Of course the answer would be no. Leap of faith, trust, hope, positivity, courage and all those things, I get it but I’m not yet there. Or maybe I’m too scared to walk towards that. I just wanna break down and cry (thanks to a song for providing such words).

I’m hoping that by the end of this post I would have found a resolve (or even an epiphany). But I’m afraid it would take a little bit more time.

I hate it that no matter which I choose, I’d come to disappoint/hurt people. The pressure is now on choosing to whom I would deliver. I know this is not true, maybe half of it, but please don’t correct me just now, I intend this to be an impulsive, unfiltered post. Please let me be this time. Maybe I’ve been too comfortable with now that I feel that I wouldn’t have to do anything now because I know they’d still understand. But what happens when they don’t? What happens when they get tired of understanding? What would I do? Would I finally act? Or I’d just go and cry just a little more and curl up in my bed forever.

I’m tired. But I haven’t really done anything so why would I be? Such fearful creature I’m hating myself right now.

I hope you can still be patient with me. Just a little more.

I don’t know what to do anymore. Or maybe I do, of course I do.

I’m just a coward.

Life Currencies: Fatalities and Sacrifices

Violence is not something new to this world. We’ve been through a lot of wars and seen too much of it to have us even surprised about it now. Blood tainted streets are steered clear of, but are not so much prevented from happening. Lives are taken as just another commodity that can be easily replaced. Somehow, we have turned human lives and efforts as some kind of currency that is to be spent and traded. The struggle to create a world free from iron claws still stand; a world ready to cater to everyone’s needs and innate sense of freedom. But how and who to lead us there, we just haven’t gotten it right. All our past efforts to attain such a world have led us to what we are now. We have become immune to the sight of bloodshed – viewing them as fatalities and unavoidable sacrifices, just to attain what we hope is for a freer and better tomorrow.

What happened inside Russia in the early days of October 1993 was just one of the examples of how our eyes have become blurred to whatever is in front of us. We tend to focus instead of what we deem is soon to be at hand, often neglecting the reality of what is now. A death toll of almost a hundred and if we are to add the wounded ones, we find ourselves with a number close to five hundred (Reuter, p.1) – and that didn’t seem to bother anyone. A revolution that is ought to transform the country to relate, appeal, or be available to the broad masses of the people, instead gives the streets of Moscow a splash of red. The build up of almost a year, ending with what could have been one of the bloodiest revolts there is to date of the country’s history. I wonder if the ends really do justify the means.

The idea of sacrifice has been with us since the early times. It’s even the building block of most belief systems. Christians, Muslims, Buddhists and other religious convictions have their own versions of such ritual. But all of these are done in the hope of gaining something great in return. In the same sense, never have we seen a war fought without anyone sacrificing their lives. Someone in somewhere at some point of his or her life, has made his or her own type of sacrifice. At first sight of it, we are distraught but taking it all in gives a different story. Quoting what the German chancellor Helmuth Kohl said to President Yeltsin when asked for his take on the revolution that he and the leaders of the Group-7 countries “would sympathize with harsh but necessary measures for the sake of Russia’s stabilization” (Felkay, p.78) shows that we acknowledge something as to using brute military force a horrid act but we also believe that it is vital – an unavoidable step to be take in order to achieve what we envision ourselves to be.

But what is it that we literally are dying to achieve? An exhaustive survey conducted in 1989 and updated in 1992 under the direction of the sociologist Yuri Levada showed that a mere 4.9 percent of the people yearned for their country’s lost superpower status […] The majority want, above all, democracy, better living conditions and civil rights (Pipes, 1993). It may not be the best sample for all mankind, but I believe that it says a lot about what we are. To live as free men, not subject to anyone’s rule, is what we yearn for. Of course, this is not entirely possible, as proven by our history of failed attempts to achieve freedom, so until now we strive hard to find a system that is closest to one.

Have we given up on our search? I believe not. But as we continue on with this journey, I hope that we do not overlook any part of the paths we choose and actions we take. And as the people in command of the countries, and in turn a piece of this world, lead us to such dream may they be reminded of how greatly they can also affect the mentality of the future generations. Given now that we’ve become accustomed to the sight of bloodshed just to attain our ideal world, a future that becomes more and more okay with it, what more will this hold? It is frightening to think of what more our eyes will become immune of in the years to come.

A reaction paper I did for my English 10 class.

Felkay, Andrew. Yeltsin’s Russia and the West. Westport: Praeger, 2002.http://books.google.com.ph. Web. 30 Jan. 2013.

Pipes, Richard. “The Last Gasp of Russia’s Communists.” The New York Times. The New York Times Company, n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2013. <http://www.nytimes.com/1993/10/05/opinion/the-last-gasp-of-russia-s-communists.html&gt;.

Reuter. “Moscow Fighting Dies Down; Uprising Leaders in Prison.” Philippine Daily Inquirer. 5 Oct. 1993: 1. Print.