KNOWING THE FUTURE

KNOWING THE FUTURE

The camel driver…had consulted with seers.

Then one day the oldest seer he had ever sought had 

asked why the camel driver was so interested in the 

future.

 “Well… so I can do things,” (the camel driver) 

responded. “And so I can change those things that I 

don’t want to happen.”

“But then, they wouldn’t be a part of your future,” the 

seer had said.

“Well, maybe I just want to know the future, so I can 

prepare myself for what's coming,” the seer said.

“If good things are coming they will be a pleasant 

surprise,” said the seer. ”if bad things are, and you 

know in advance, you will suffer greatly before they 

even occur.”

-The Alchemist, Paul Coelho.

And He said unto them, “It is not for you to 

know the times or the seasons which the Father 

hath put in His power.” 

-(Acts 1:7, King James Version)

Two Horses

TWO HORSES

Author Unknown 

        

Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it. From a distance, each horse looks like any other horse.

But if you get a closer look you will notice something quite interesting...

One of the horses is blind.

His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made him a safe and comfortable barn to live in.

This alone is pretty amazing.

But if you stand nearby and listen, you will hear the sound of a bell. It is coming from a smaller horse in the field.

Attached to the horse's halter is a small, copper-colored bell. It lets the blind friend know where the other horse is, so he can follow.

As you stand and watch these two friends you'll see that the horse with the bell is always checking on the blind horse, and that the blind horse will listen for the bell and then slowly walk to where the other horse is, trusting he will not be led astray.

When the horse with the bell returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, he will stop occasionally to look back, making sure that the blind friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell.

Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect. Or because we have problems or challenges.

He watches over us and even brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need.

Sometimes we are the blind horse, being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God places in our lives.

And at other times we are the guide horse, helping others to find their way.

Philippians 2:13 
for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure

THE HOMELESS MAN

THE HOMELESS MAN

On my way to work this morning I pass by the familiar waiting shed beside the road which takes me to the highway.

Again I see him under the shed, cooking his pot of rice. His tattered shirt, wet, dirty, gives no protection from the biting cold that the rains bring. We know each other now. I call him the homeless man, he calls me a Samaritan. The first time I see him, he stays under the shed during the day reading. He finds shelter in the nearby vulcanizing shop by night time.

We go through the same usual drill. I honk my horn, to let him know I’m there. He’s hard of hearing. He stops his puttering glances in my direction approaches me. I buzz down the window, hands him the fifty peso bill. He thanks me and says, “God Bless you Samaritan,” bows, looks at me with rheumy eyes.

I say,  “Most welcome, Homeless Man! God Bless you too.”

“What have you been reading today?” I ask.

He gives me the standard answer,  “Ang Maayong Balita.’”

I say,  “Good, see you around.”

I move along thinking he can use a fresh set of clothes.

Maybe tomorrow…

This man really bothers me. He pricks the  bubble of religious pretension.

A passage from the Good News (Maayong Balita’), he said, he is reading, comes to mind:

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? ...”

(Matthew 25:34-40)

THE PARABLE OF CALVIN CAUTIOUS

THE PARABLE OF CALVIN CAUTIOUS

When Calvin Cautious awoke he was, scared to death. “This must be it,” he thought, “I must have died and gone to heaven.”

He looked around. Everything was so vast and white.

“Calvin Cautious?” a voice asked from behind him.

Calvin was startled. He spun around. Behind him stood a large bearded man wearing white overalls holding a clip board.

“Where did you come from?” Calvin asked.

“I work up here,” the man said.

“Up here?” Calvin asked. “Where Am I? Is this Heaven?”

“No, no you’re not dead and you’re not in heaven,” the man said, “this is a way station, a checkpoint, you’re here for a warranty service and to answer some questions.”

“Warranty service and questions?” Calvin asked.

“Yes, the Manufacturer has laid down the policy to keep track of the products,” the man said.

“Are you the Gate Keeper? asked Calvin.

“No I’m the Engineer,” the man said.

“When can I go back?” Calvin asked.

“When you can give the right answers,” the man replied. “You see the Manufacturer sees no sense in wasting space down there on a product that won ‘t be used properly.”

“Do you mean that if I can’t give the right answers I’ll be you know dead?” Calvin asked.

“Your warranty will be revoked and you will be permanently recalled,” the Engineer said.

The Engineer read his clip board. “Tell me Calvin what is  your purpose down there?”

“Well, I try to work hard, mind my own business, don’t hurt anyone, stay out of trouble and just get along with other folks,” Calvin explained.

“What about your talents Calvin, what about them?” the Engineer pressed.

“What talents? They’re not much, really, you know, I just keep to myself, you know,” Calvin mumbled.

“Oh no, Calvin you’re not answering right,” the Engineer was disappointed, “Don’t you remember the story of the Talents?” (Matthew 25:14-30)

“I think so, “ Calvin mumbled, “The Manufacturer gave three men three talents each. To one He gave five, to the second He gave two and to the third He gave one.”

“That’s right,” the Engineer said. “ Some years later the Manufacturer checked up on each of them. To the one He gave five talents, He was pleased that the man used and applied all the talents that they earned another five more. He checked on the one whom He gave two talents, and was pleased that the man used and applied the talents that they earned two more talents. But when He checked on the one He gave one talent He was angry because the man who was given one talent buried the talent on the ground, saying that he was afraid the talent might get lost. The Manufacturer had only harsh words for him, “You wicked and lazy servant, you did not use the gifts that I gave you!.”

Do you get the point of the story Calvin Cautious?” the Engineer asked.

“I think so,” Calvin exclaimed.

“Then do something about them Calvin!” the exclaimed, “I hate revoking warranties up here, you know.”

From the time of the creation of mankind, God has entrusted to man the time, wealth and resources of this world as steward of His creation.    Everything we have comes from God and belongs to Him. We are responsible for using those resources so that they will multiply and increase in value that God may be Glorified.

The profitable stewards were praised, given increased responsibilities and invited to enter into the joy of their Lord. They were rewarded for their work and faithfulness.

American Philosopher William James wisely observed, that, “compared to what we ought to be, we are only half awake…we are making use of only a small part of our mental and physical resources.”

(An Adaptation from Og Mandino's University of Success)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS OF LIVE IN PARTNERS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS OF LIVE IN PARTNERS

When it comes to marriage and family life, the Philippines stands out, among other nations, to be firmly conservative. The prevailing State policy is fiercely protective of marriage, that divorce, has not gain a foothold to find its way in the statute books.

State policy declares marriage as an institution which is sacrosanct. Getting married is not as easy as one thinks. The first step is getting a license, and there are formal and legal requisites. Marriage provides for rights and obligations affecting family relations.  

Philippine law, defines family relations as one which includes the husband and the wife, parents and children, ascendants and descendants, brothers and sisters. These are relations within  the nucleus of marriage.

Studies reveal that while a majority men and women prefer to be bound in marriage through church-civil rites, the number of couples simply cohabiting outside the bond of marriage is increasing. The “live in” arrangement has gained a wide acceptance among adults of this generation. Many are hardly aware of the legal effects of their non-marital union.

The most frequently asked questions by live in partners who commit to a non-marital union are concerning the status of their children and their property relations.

The Family Code identifies two types of non-marital union between a man and a woman.

The first type is the cohabitation of a man and a woman, who are both in a legal position to freely marry each other, because they possess the legal capacity to enter into marriage, but they chose not to. They just live together like husband and wife, cohabiting exclusively, without benefit of marriage.

The second type is the cohabitation of a man and a woman, who, either or both, have no legal capacity to marry each other. In this situation they cannot freely marry each other even if they wanted to, because of an existing legal impediment or legal incapacity. One example would be a married man living with a woman not his wife, though the cohabitation is not exclusive.

The children born in these types of non-marital union are illegitimate. As illegitimate children they only have the rights of an illegitimate child under the law. They may establish their illegitimate filiation.

When properties are acquired, in a non-marital union, the rule which would govern the property relations of the partners would depend on which type of non-marital union they would fall.

In the first type of non-marital union where the parties live together outside the bond of marriage, though they have the legal capacity to marry each other, the rule on full co-ownership would apply in their property relations. The co-ownership would cover their wages and salaries, and the properties they acquire through their work or industry.

In the second type of non-marital union where the couple has no legal capacity to marry each other, the rule on limited co-ownership would apply in their property relations.

In this case the limited co-ownership would cover only their actual joint contribution of money; actual joint contribution of property; and actual joint contribution of industry. The salaries and wages are excluded, since only their actual and joint contribution of money, or property, or industry are included.

The situation may becomes a little  complicated when the partners decide to terminate or dissolve the relationship. This raises questions as to how the parent and child attachment relationship would be preserved, or resolved.  

The termination of the relationship would further entail the dissolution of the  of  the co-ownership of the partners’ properties. Again the question boils down to the determination of the extent of their acquisition and their respective shares in the partition.