Sunday, January 14, 2007

Troubles

Got myself thinking lately… thinking about those bad things that happens in my life. You know, those bad things… like those problems, those pains, those failures, those mistakes, those troubles… bad things that disturb and bother our minds. Got myself into thinking if being bothered and disturbed by these bad things are worthwhile. I understand it might be a choice if you want to be greatly affected by these bad things that happens.

And I think there is a greater meaning with all these “bad things” or troubles that happens in my life – and to everybody’s life.

* * *

I read about this old flower lady with an optimistic and admirable outlook. When asked why she wears her troubles well, she replies, “When Jesus was crucified on Good Friday, that was the worst day for the whole world. Then three days later – Easter. So when I get troubles, I’ve learned to wait three days. Somehow everything gets all right again.” Fun lady. Troubles? “Wait three days… somehow everything gets all right by then.”

* * *

I have another one. You know the story of Joseph (Israel’s son) in the Bible? Betrayed and sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, for 20 pieces of silver (Hey, I know of another who was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver… yup, that’s another material but let’s stick with Joseph, besides I assume you know the story about this other one), framed by his master’s wife, and then spent twelve years in prison… those were really bad things that happened to him, right?

Well, not exactly. If Joseph was not sold into slavery and framed to be thrown to prison, he wouldn’t have told the meaning of Pharaoh’s dream, save Egypt from famine, got the glory of being governor of all Egypt, and save the tribe of Israel from being wiped out by the famine. God used those bad things, so for a greater good as the result… and all those bad things that happened were outweighed by the good result.

* * *

In our perspectives, these troubles happening to us may be bad, but that’s only in the present. We do not know the whole picture and the future. Like Joseph’s years of suffering in Egypt and Christ’s dying on the cross, those things were “bad things”, but what happened after all that? Now you get the point.

Only God knows everything. All these bad things – these troubles – are all temporary. So, when troubles fall on us, let us be patient… wait for three days like the flower lady, or many years like Joseph or even for a whole lifetime. The glory and reward for all eternity in Heaven will outweigh all the troubles of God’s Chosen Ones in Earth.
It’s gonna be alright.

* * *

Hope I gave you something to ponder on. Things may appear bad for the present, but in the future, it might bring a great good… or vice versa. Only God knows, so we must trust Him. All in this world is temporary, we must all remember that.

I’ll leave you this story I read in “In the Eye of the Storm” by Max Lucado. Hope you will enjoy the story and find the wisdom and moral in it, like I did. Here goes:

* * *

Once there was an old man who lived in a tiny village. Although poor, he was envied by all, for he owned a beautiful white horse. Even the king coveted his treasure. A horse like this had never been seen before – such was its splendor, its majesty, its strength.

People offered fabulous prices for the steed, but the old man refused. “This horse is not a horse to me,” he would tell them. “It is a person. How would you sell a person? He is a friend, not a possession. How could you sell a friend?” The man was poor and the temptation was great. But he never sold the horse.

One morning he found that the horse was not in the stable. The entire village came to see him. “You old fool,” they scoffed, “we told you that someone would steal your horse. We warned you that you would be robbed. You are so poor. How could you ever hope to protect such a valuable animal? It would have been better to have sold him. You could have gotten whatever price you wanted. No amount would have been too high. Now the horse is gone, and you’ve been cursed with misfortune.”

The old man responded, “Don’t speak too quickly. Say only that the horse is not in the stable. This is all we know; the rest is judgment. If I’ve been cursed or not, how can you know? How can you judge?”

The people contested, “Don’t make us out to be fools! We may not be philosophers, but great philosophy is not needed. The simple fact that your horse is gone is a curse.”

The old man spoke again. “All I know is that the stable is empty, and the horse is gone. The rest I don’t know. Whether it be a curse or a blessing, I can’t say. All we can see is a fragment. Who can say what will come next?”

The people of the village laughed. They thought that the man was crazy. They had always thought he was a fool; if he wasn’t, he would have sold the horse and lived off the money. But instead, he was a poor woodcutter, an old man still cutting firewood and dragging it out of the forest and selling it. He lived hand to mouth in the misery of poverty. Now he had proven that he was, indeed, a fool.

After fifteen days, the horse returned. He hadn’t been stolen; he had run away into the forest. Not only had he returned, he had brought a dozen wild horses with him. Once again the village people gathered around the woodcutter and spoke, “Old man, you were right and we were wrong. What we thought was a curse was a blessing. Please forgive us.”

The man responded, “Once again, you go too far. Say only that the horse is back. State only that a dozen horses returned with him, but don’t judge. How would you know if this is a blessing or not? You see only a fragment. Unless you know the whole story, how can you judge? You read only one page of a book. Can you judge the whole book? You read only one word of a phrase. Can you understand the whole phrase?

“Life is so vast, yet you judge all of life with one page or one word. All you have is a fragment! Don’t say that this is a blessing. No one knows. I am content with what I know. I am not perturbed by what I don’t”

“Maybe the old man is right,” they said to one another. So they said little. But down deep, they knew he was wrong. They knew it was a blessing. Twelve wild horses had returned with one horse. With a little bit of work, the animals could be broken and sold for much money.

The old man had a son, an only son. The young man began to break the wild horses. After a few days, he fell from one of the horses and broke both legs. Once again the villagers gathered around the old man and cast their judgments.

“You were right,” they said. “You proved you were right. The dozen horses were not a blessing. They were a curse. Your only son has broken his legs, and now in your old age you have no one to help you. Now you are poorer than ever.”

The old man spoke again. “You people are obsessed with judging. Don’t go so far. Say only that my son broke his legs. Who knows if it is a blessing or a curse? No one knows. We only have a fragment. Life comes in fragments.”

It so happened that a few weeks later the country engaged in war against a neighboring country. All the young men of the village were required to join the army. Only the son of the old man was excluded, because he was injured. Once again the people gathered around the old man, crying and screaming because their sons had been taken. There was little chance they would return. The enemy was strong, and the war would be a losing struggle. They would never see their sons again.

“You were right, old man,” they wept. “God knows you were right. This proves it. Your son’s accident was a blessing. His legs may be broken, but at least he is with you. Our sons are gone forever.”

The old man spoke again. “It is impossible to talk with you. You always draw conclusions. No one knows. Say only this: Your sons had to go to war, and mine did not. No one knows if it is a blessing or a curse. No one is wise enough to know. Only God knows.”

Which between the two is better? Electric Guitar or Acoustic Guitar?

hmmmm. good question. what is the better instrument to play? it is true that the electric guitar is much used by bands nowadays. but the acoustic guitar can be played even without a pick up, even without electricity. so the acoustic is a portable jamming instrument. you use both guitars differently. i pluck an electric guitar by the use of the picking technique, with or without a pick. i pluck an acoustic guitar with my four fingers, which the pinkie is the only finger not used. in playing the electric guitar, it is cooler to see you standing with your strap extended enough so that the guitar is within or below your waist. in playing the acoustic guitar, it is cooler to see you sitting down on a stool. but what is really the cooler instrument to play? the electric guitar is a cool instrument. it can do many things an acoustic guitar cannot do. you can do many different effects and sounds from it by the use of an amp or/and an gadget. the use of distortion, overdrive, flanger, chorus, delay, echo, fuzz and many different kinds of effects allows you to do cool lead pieces and ad libs. muted strumming is more effective in an electric. artificial harmonics is also more effective. the sound from an electric can last a long time form the last time you ringed or plucked it by the use of an effect (overdrive usually). you can do a lot of things from an electric, especially the feedback technique. imagine using an acoustic guitar to play the cool Bon Jovi (or any rock band's) guitar fills and guitar instrumentals. the acoustic guitar has it's own beautiful sound. it has a unique clean sound better than clean electric guitar. maybe because of the wood and all the acoustics inside the guitar. classical guitar (the guitar with no fret marks, thicker neck and different tuning keys) is a cool instrument to play. especially if you studied to play it and knows how to play the guitar using notes, not only chords. some acoustic players uses cool styles different from classical playing. Like the guitar playing of Paolo Santos in "Foolish Heart", Ryan Cabrera in "True" and Chin in "Especially for You" (MYMP revival). the use of the Spanish guitar is also awesome, with that cool Latino feeling in its sounds. like in "Lonely No More", it was great and i think it is very difficult. doing the muting guitar is not bad in the acoustic guitar. you can see that in Avril Lavigne's "Why". now another question, what is much better, band versions or acoustic versions? well, it depends for me. often acoustic versions are just as good as the original band versions. like "My Immortal", "Suntok sa Buwan" and "Sige". and sometimes the acoustic version is much better. like the Eagle's favorite "Hotel California". i like the original one with all that cool fills and guitar solo. but the acoustic version is much better with the long intro and better guitar playing. now back to the question, what is much better, electric or acoustic? well, it depends on the taste of a person. i love both. both has cool and unique characteristics. besides, it does not matter what you love to play. what matters is why are you playing. is it to let yourself be recognized and glorified, or is it to have fun and please and praise God. the latter should be the answer. Glory to God!

Friday, January 05, 2007

2006:The Year That Has Been

Year 2006 was, um, different… got me asking to myself, “All these things happened in just a year?” Some fun, got into troubles, some pains, some failures, some successes, learned new things… and a lot of things. Consider some of the things that happened this year:

Passed the UPCAT and BUCET. I graduated in high school. Saw my bestfriend after four years. My jazz guitar getting a small but ugly damage… arg! Got into college. Miami Heat’s championship, and Dwyane Wade’s Finals MVP. Won an acoustic guitar instrumental contest in our intramural’s litmus. The annoying Da Vinci Code controversy at its peak. Got my heart broken for the first time, when my girlfriend and I broke up. Kobe Bryant changed his jersey number to 24. Played in the best evangelization concert I had so far. The reconciliation of Triple H and Shawn Michaels, and the return of D-X. Me. Learning how to jump rope. Schumacher retiring, and Alonso winning the Formula One. My cats getting bullied by an ugly cat in our neighborhood for the entire year. Italy winning the World Cup. Pac-Man beats Morales in their third meeting (it was a Pac-Man year). The great journalist Max Soliven passed away, I'll miss his columns (the good thing is, his death's cause is not beacuse of political killing - which many journalists in this country suffered this year). Albay got hit by typhoons Kaloy, Milenyo and Reming (the last one triggering heavy flash floods of “lahar”); suffered most with Reming (strongest typhoon I experienced so far), killing and destroying a lot here in Albay (and me fighting 260 kph winds, trying to keep our door from being broken by the wind, but eventually the wind beating me and breaking the door hitting me hard on the face)… got the whole month of December with no classes, and no electricity… long lines in gasoline stations, ATM machines, grocery stores, water stations and charging stations… ten-peso lighter-flashlights very popular. The NY Knicks and Denver Nuggets’ brawl. The tsunami scare (with many cursing the bloody bastards who started it). Allen Iverson being traded to the Denver Nuggets, making an AI-Melo nucleus super team (this is yet to be seen when Carmelo Anthony returns). Saddam Hussein getting hanged before the year is over. First 007 movie (Casino Royale) of Daniel Craig. The con-ass, con-con, cha-cha, whatever. PDA winner Yeng Constantino’s “Hawak Kamay” the most popular song around. Lyndon Gregorio’s Beerkada went to Tokyo for their Christmas vacation. Got Mark Twain’s “Life on the Mississippi” and Louisa May Alcott’s “Jo’s Boys” as Christmas gifts (two of the books I really wanted of having in my collection). Getting a typhoon damaged Power Mark Comics compilation of series one. Before the end of the year, the settlement of the basketball crisis in the Philippine - in the delight of basketball fans like me. Me, learning how to whistle with my fingers. DOTA being the most popular game here this year. James Brown, godfather of soul, passing away. Enteng Kabisote III winning best picture in the Metro Filmfest. Michael Jordan getting a divorce. Max’s and National Bookstore franchises opened in Pacific Mall; both a first in Legazpi (Learned a new way of getting depressed… visit a National Bookstore branch and look at the prices on those wonderful books… voila, instant depression). I discovered this year that Edward L. Strateneyer, and members of his syndicate, is the author – or rather, the authors – of Hardy Boys and only used the pseudonym Franklin W. Dixon; the same with Nancy Drew, Strateneyer is the one who is the author of Nancy Drew books, continues by his daughter Harriet S. Adams, and used the pseudonym Carolyn Keene (and I had always though all through this years that Franklin W. Dixon and Carolyn Keene are true persons and creators of Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew respectively). And me, asleep at 12:00 of the New Year’s Eve of 2007… a first time in years.

What a year.

I wonder what would 2007 be like?

Vision of Heaven

As the Sunday School song goes, “Heaven is a happy place…, Oh, I want to be there!” Hmmm, I do like to go there… I believe in Heaven. I cannot help but dare imagine what Heaven would be like.

According to St. John, the New Jerusalem would be covered with precious stones, and the streets are gold. Whoa, that would be a site. And I really cannot picture the banquet that will happen there, but it will be one-heck of a splendid celebration.

It is said that there will be a non-stop of praising of God in Heaven. It could be a sort of big-bash Woodstock-like concert. Imagine, Don Moen leading the worship in a millennia, then Ron Kenoly with the next millennia (both with the Integrity band, of course). Then, Hillsong will take the stage and then United! Jars of Clay, Steven Curtis Chapman, Darell Evans, Bob Fitts, Steve Kuban… and so on. I would really enjoy when Carman and Gary V would perform side by side. Of course, hymns shall be sung, too – with choirs (including a whole angel choir). And it would be nice if Petra can play a rock and roll version of “Amazing Grace”, I would certainly keep watch on John Newton’s face if it will turn into astonishment or amusement when the band plays his song. A concert for all eternity in Heaven, with all of us gets a chance to participate in the concert. Cool. (I wonder what would be the angels’ band would be called… the “Shining Ones”?)

There could be a very large library in Heaven where the entire world’s literatures are housed. Talking might be allowed here because it is so large that those who do not want to be disturbed by the talking should only transfer to some quiet, deserted corner of the library. Christian writers (writers of books, articles, novels, etc.) would hang out there regularly, like J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, G. K. Chesterton, Max Lucado, Philip Yancey, John Grisham and the apostle Paul. They, and other literature lovers, writers and bookworms, would probably read study and write in this library. Me, for one, would probable spend a couple of hundred of years in that place at a time.

Heaven might have places for recreations and meditations. Think of all the wonderful sites and places in this world, and magnify their beauty and splendor by a hundredfold, that might how the places in Heaven would be like. One can relax and meditate in these places there. And as places for recreation, there could be parks. Parks that have golf courses, baseball fields, soccer fields, football fields and basketball courts for friendly sport competitions. There could be exhibition games in basketball like: an All-Star Christian basketball team, led by David Robinson, against the Angels of Pearly Gates (the all-star team of the angels). I would bet that the David Robinson-led team would win against the angels. (Just an expression… betting would not be allowed in Heaven).

And as that song in Sunday School goes on, it has line that goes, “…we’ll play with lions…” Oh, that would be cool. Since I was child, I always dreamt of wrestling with a lion… that’s what appeals me most about the “world tomorrow” when I was a child. I love the picture of me playing with wild animals; pinning a lion, riding a rhino, hugging a panda, and so on. Wild animals will be tamed; and all the animals would be at peace with each other; Lambs and wolves napping side by side, the gazelle running with the cheetah (not because the cheetah wants the gazelle for dinner but because they are playing with each other), eagles giving rabbits treats by flying it in the air with their claws… things like that. I don’t know where will be the sea creatures would be kept, since according to St. John that there will be a new heaven, and new earth but no sea. I guess they would be put in a very large aquarium a whole lot bigger and grander than that of the one in Singapore. But honestly, with all this talk about possibilities if animals in Heaven, I don’t mind if there will be no mosquitoes in Heaven.

Maybe someone can learn the things he really wants to learn and do while here in Earth but did not get the chance to do so. There could be studying of languages, or musical instruments, or foreign languages, or dancing, or painting, or pottery, or other things. With one Christian helping and teaching the other, or the angels doing the teaching.

It would be also very cool hanging out with the heroes in the Bible, like Samson (care to dare him for an arm wrestling match?), Abraham, David, Job, Moses and Noah (I would ask Noah, “Had you ever tried wrestling with a lion when you were in the Ark?”). Meeting other Christians would be really cool – people that you know and did not know here in Earth. Fellowshipping with other Christians in Heaven would be really nice; imagine Abraham Lincoln sharing jokes, yarns, stories, anecdotes and thoughts with you. And I think you will remember all the names of those people in Heaven that you will meet; the Bible said that our bodies are going to be changed, better… no sickness and all that – of course, good memory is probably part of all that.

I am not sure what will guys like Charles Spurgeon, John Calvin, Martin Luther and Billy Graham – preachers, theologians, missionaries and evangelists – would be doing there. There is no more need of evangelism in Heaven. They could probably continue on studying about God and His ways, and asking God questions, and enjoy Heaven… like all Christians would do there.

I have my own questions myself that I will ask God when I get to Heaven. He would answer the questions that I did not get when I am still here in Earth. He will answer them all in Eternity.

Well, my vision of Heaven is just my imagination. I am not sure what would it really be like there. But I am sure it will be better than I expect. Heaven… it would be a place of complete joy, peace and satisfaction; no more pains and sorrows.

Besides, all that matters is, in Heaven, I will finally come face to face with my Savior and Lord and be with Him forever.