PINK Minds Think Alike

Long ago, you could gain a friend through snail mail anywhere in the world, without ever seeing him. He was called a pen pal. Those days are gone now. For the longest time, our friends were those within our circles.

Then social media redefined "friend" as someone on your "friends' list" and privy to your posts. I have had a few friend requests now and then . . .

 . . . but never like this! 

Days after VP Leni filed her Certificate of Candidacy for president, I have been deluged with friend requests. Suspicious of scammers, I first visit their walls.  

Why, they are all of PINK Minds! These are people who share my values, love this country, are judicious decision makers, and want an honest governance.  

Why would they want me to be their friend? They must have visited my wall, read my posts and blogs, and saw my PINK mind, which matches theirs.  

Accept. Accept. Accept. I couldn't click accept fast enough.

And today, I have many, many friends, with whom I share VP Leni pages. All posts are unifying:  concerns are appeased, successes are toasted, impatience are pacified, and values are affirmed. Words of apology (over words that  might have offended a sensitive soul), are profuse.  

PINK pages are where we hold each other up. Here, we learn about voluntary contributions; feeding events at the host's expense; pink parol hung on fences and trees; jingles and videos produced pro-bono; tarps and comic books given away; plus more.  

Here, we know by heart her 8-pronged program if elected—under the omnibus tagline, Gobyernong Tapat, Angat Buhay Lahat (A sincere government ushers in a better life for all). 

When handled with commitment and compassion, these will raise our standard of living:   

1) Jobs 

2) Housing 

3) Security

4) Health

5) Education

6) Food 

7) Environment

8) Infrastructure/Technology 

Often, we are hurled with insults, nasty remarks, laughing emojis, profanities, non-sensical gobbledygook, and disparagement from rubble rousers (or even friends from a different camp) and paid trolls. Some try to talk sense into them. But when these are met with derision, I delete and block them.  

That's our community of PINK minds. We call each other kakampink, our Filipino version of bosom buddy. 

It is my safe place. It is where grace turns up in comforting words of hope and peace. It came just as I was at my wit's end over failed governance, on the verge of losing my moral compass amidst a crippling pandemic. 

"Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works." Hebrews 10:24 (NLT) 

Eat All You Can

Cardiologists warn us, especially when our blood chemistry reveals risky results, to have a healthy diet.  “Eat in moderation. Avoid eat-all-you-can restaurants,” are words spoken to hefty, overweight patients with heart problems. Often, doctors suggest an ultra-low-fat diet.  

The pandemic saved us from that kind of over-indulgence. Health protocols banned eat-all-you-can binges. We break bread in moderation at home. But creatures of habits, we still prepare so much food during celebrations such as birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, and New Year.  

We do know that good nutrition is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle. Our balanced diet can help us reach and maintain an ideal weight, reduce our risk of heart troubles, and promote our overall health. 

Too much intake can lead to disaster.  

When it comes to “eating” God’s Word, however, the flip side is true. The more we  ingest it, the healthier our spiritual life becomes. 

“Break your fast in the morning,” Pastor Ariel encouraged the congregation. “Read God’s word first thing in the morning, and you won’t go hungry or thirsty all day—you will have all the nutritional grace you need. He then cited what Jesus said in John 6:35, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” 

Remember when Satan dared (Matthew 4:3-4) Jesus to turn stones into bread to prove that He is the son of God? 

Jesus replied, “No! The Scriptures say,‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 

“Eat all you can!” Pastor Ariel stressed. There is no such thing as over-eating God’s Word. Otherwise, you’ll suffer from spiritual malnutrition. Eat God’s Word every morning, every day, and find yourself growing in relationship with Jesus.”   

Questions to self: How often do I ingest God’s word? Do I eat all I can?

Len-Len: PINKaholic

A lady senator, who plays the mistress of the house in a short video, scolds her househelp named Len-Len, off-camera. The name is a thinly veiled allusion, with mockery and malice, to VP Leni. Speaking in Filipino, she calls Len-Len to task for being dumb and inept in making her coffee bitter. 

Not content with that, she uploaded online this message, all caps: 

TIRED LEN-LEN

ANYONE WHO CLAIMS TO WORK 18 HOURS A DAY IS EITHER LYING OR STUPID

What brought on this acerbic tirade against VP Leni? 

On TV, VP Leni was asked by an interviewer how many hours does she work. She replied, "18 hours." 

The all caps, white-on-black message of the senator, whose family reeks of money, on Len-Len went viral. 

Those who work 18 hours a day or more are many. Across the board, they have been demeaned, condemned for working hard and for long hours: 

• Farmers who wake up early to either plant or harvest their crops
• Healthcare professionals, front liners who often go into a double or 24-hour shift
• Advertising, movie, and TV production practitioners
• Movie and stage actors, and musicians 
• Journalists, authors, editors, and printers
• OFWs toiling the night away to earn enough for their families back home
• Single parents tackling two jobs
• househelps (stay-in or per day), gardeners, labanderas
• Market vendors, restaurant and supermarket staff
• CEOs, managers, department heads 
• Teachers who spend the night preparing materials and checking papers
• Security and coast guards  
• Mothers  
• Plus many, many more     

In unison, "We are not lying, nor are we stupid." 

This gave birth to a series of memes, where hardworking people (who can never have the lady senator's wealth even if they worked over 18 hours a day all their lives), PINKaholics all, have come forward as Len-Len. 

I am proudly one of them.  

Those of us who toil and work hard for our families, or for the love of our craft—if not recognized for our perseverance—should not be mocked. We might be insignificant like the tiny ants, but the Bible admonishes the high and the mighty, who enjoy an easy and relaxed life, to work like these little crawlers: Len-Len, we are called.  

Proverbs 6:6 reads, "Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise!"

Photo credits: All images of Len-Len were borrowed from social media. 

The 7 Things the Lord Detests

As I read Proverbs 6:16-19 (NLT), I shivered. The words hit a little too close to home. They’re on the Net and newspaper editorials almost every day. 

They describe how our country’s leaders behave on TV or on video, the media where we see them during the pandemic. 

“There are six things the Lord hates—no, seven things he detests:

Haughty eyes. They glare at us as though nobody but they have a say on how our country should be run, or that their opinions are gospel truth.  

Lying tongue. How many times have we caught them making pronouncements, but the facts say otherwise? “We will solve graft and corruption in three years, bad traffic in three months, the drug problem in two years." It’s been six years and corruption, traffic, and drugs are nowhere close to being solved. In fact, they are worse. No corrupt official or drug lord has been punished. 

Hands that kill the innocent. There are over 122 minors killed in the war on drugs in the last five years; many others have been killed without due process. One of the most sacred principles in our criminal justice system is that a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. 

A heart that plots evil. The national elections will happen three months from today, and already many are plotting against and vilifying possible candidates to influence voters. Social media, particularly FB, found around 600 fake news websites and 10,000+ fake news stories from 2015 to 2018 alone.  

Feet that race to do wrong. Because elective positions are short, a number of politicians amass wealth that’s more than they could earn in their lifetime within a three-year term. Just take a look at their Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).  

A false witness who pours out lies. High-profile inmates, including murder and  drug lord convicts, testified against Senator Leila de Lima’s alleged involvement in drugs. The lady senator is still in jail five years hence. But those inmates have been transferred out of the penal facility and are now in more comfortable quarters. 

A person who sows discord in the family. Unfounded gossip about politicians’ “indiscretions” have resulted in broken homes. 

Now, how about ordinary people? These seven abominations may be in us, too. 

So why does God bother with sinful us, mortals with human heart? Mystifying grace. 

“What are mere mortals that you should think about them, or a son of man that you should care for him?” (Hebrews 2:6 NLT) 

PINK Is a Many-splendored Thing

Since October, the color PINK—initiated by volunteers for VP Leni's presidential campaign—has spawned so many meanings. If you were to ask kakampinks (rough translation: pink allies or kindred souls), what PINK represents, they each would come up with something different. 

In the beginning I had no doubt in my mind that PINK meant hope, which is what PINK generally denotes. 

With Leni's campaign now in full gear, after watching her many interviews on mass media, seeing her old photos helping the poor and calamity victims through the years, I have realized that hope has many-splendored dimensions. Kakampinks have added more nouns and adjective phrases in all hues of the color PINK: 

Accountability   

Service to all people

Good values 

Transparency

Corruption-free government 

Love of country  

Simple living  

Better life for all   

Reliable and true  

Sincere, unpretentious

Compassionate  

 

No wonder VP Leni has a slew of different slogans coming from different demographics. Indeed, PINK, from God's rainbow, is a many-splendored thing. 

Since it is February, the love month, many are singing this old favorite, Love is a many-splendored thing.  The song refers to romantic love, but love, to those who believe in Jesus, is a command found in many Bible verses.  

". . . Love each other as I have loved you. (Corinthians 16:14)  

"Do everything in love." (John 15:12)  

All isms have some idea of the value of love, but the Christian faith stresses its importance, because God has revealed that He is love (1 John 4:8, 16). 

Love is both what God is and what he has done—sending his Son to die on the cross to save sinners (Rom. 5:8; John 3:16; 1 John 4:10).

Shouldn't our attitudes and behavior in everyday life then reflect that love? Jesus said that only two commands are needed to govern our lives: love of God and love of neighbor. 

PINK demonstrates that in many-splendored grace:  

From this kakampink, just one in a growing crowd who desires love and good values to reign in government, Happy Valentine's Day! 

PINK Is the Color of Tomorrow

Every language has its own phrases/clauses that are untranslatable to any language. We can try, but the essence is lost.  

One example is Kulay Rosas ang Bukas, one of the slogans of VP Leni's campaign for the presidency. It is a beautiful rhyming clause in Filipino and tugs at the heart. But translating it to English (my blog title) takes its marrow away.  

But what does it matter? My FB wall today is blanketed with PINK. More than a thousand of my friends have uploaded PINK images and changed their profile pictures to PINK with this phrase/clause: Kulay Rosas ang Bukas. 

So have I! 

Many more have followed suit as this day wears on. The 10 on PINK is VP Leni's number on the ballot;  it also signifies the highest level of standard; and in the Bible, it symbolizes the completion of a cycle.  

08 February 2022, today, is the first day of the official campaign period for the elections. From the high tides in the ocean, the force of the PINK wave, the strongest kind, is upon us and visible to all.  

As revealed in my previous blog on PINK, I have gained over 200 like-minded friends who believe in the PINK revolution—a movement of hope to stop the atrophy of morality in the country, caused by power-and-money-hungry politicians. PINK friends uplift the spirit and, I believe, are the Lord's channels of grace, for people like me who have become cynical of governance. 

Today is PINK day. 

It is my prayer that PINK will be the color of tomorrow in our land. 

"I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13 NLT)  

Facetiously, Fabulously Funny

Two adverbs and one adjective do not accurately describe how I feel about Frasier, a sitcom series in the 90’s (spin-off of Cheers). It is so much more, because it defies description. 

It has been the after-supper staple night after night of Tony, our son #3, and me during the pandemic lockdown. 

Let me gush over it. 

Kelsey Grammer (a talented actor, director, writer and producer) portrays the title role. He went back to his hometown in Seattle, where he is a celebrity as a well-paid radio psychiatrist (who actually needs one!). He takes his father and his dog to live with him; his younger brother, also a wealthy psychiatrist (who also needs one!), pops in and out of their home. Naturally, their lifestyle is opulent and their taste, snobbish. 

The series’ credentials? 

It won 37 Emmy Awards during its 11-year stint on TV including “Outstanding Comedy Series” from 1994 to 1998. Channel 4 in the US voted the show as the greatest sitcom of all time in 2006! It was the undisputed gold-standard of ’90s sitcoms. 

But those are not what makes Frasier outstanding for us, more than two decades later. 

Aside from bringing out our loudest laughter, which is not the norm during these foreboding times, we see ourselves in the cast, with every member acting as a foil to each other: pretentious yet natural, refined yet crude, vulnerable yet resilient, carefree yet anxious, ethical yet improper—and enjoying the warmth of family and home.     

Their farcical speech is facetious and their uppity milieu with bespoke furniture, art museums, champagne, and opera is fabulous—all toward a funny ha-ha viewing. It’s like a therapy, which I call grace, waxing nostalgic about what was and what could be, and forgetting what is. 

The only hitch is, sometimes our DVDs, because of age, act up and therefore unwatchable. 

No matter. Each episode of Frasier is like a modern-day fairy tale, with gags that have both heart and soul, ending ha-ha-happily ever after. 

“He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy." (Job 8:21 NLT) 

The Times They Are a-PINKin'

If you are a millennial, you won't know Bob Dylan. But those who were already humans (as I was) in the 60's, he was a respected celebrity—a Nobel and Grammy awardee.  

Now 80 years old, Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, author and a visual artist, often referred to as one of the greatest songwriters of all time. His protest songs challenged the wrongs of the establishment. He encouraged people to change with the times. 

For me, his song, The Times They are a-Changin', is specially relevant today in our Philippine political platform. 

The last stanza is eerily true: 

The curse it is cast

The slow one now

Will later be fast

As the present now

Will later be past

The order is rapidly fadin'

And the first one now

Will later be last

For the times they are a-changin

I am taking the liberty of substituting a-changin' to a-PINKin', because the pink movement is changing many voters' mindset. Women were branded by macho society to be weak leaders, the same way that presidential candidate VP Leni is being diminished.  

But times are a-PINKin'. 

On social media, we see changes in people (I have recently gained over 200 pink-minded friends who know and fight for issues that benefit the marginalized) in never-before-possible ways. 

For years, the moral decay in our country has been breaking down relationships. On national TV, a stream of vitriol from the presidential sanctum, aimed at anyone who suggests new ways of doing things, has been constant. Many kith and kin have lost hope and emigrated abroad because of flagrant corruption that inflict deeper pain upon a suffering populace. 

But "the order is rapidly a-changin'."  

By God's merciful grace, those who are lording it over by foul means now, "will later be last, for the times are a-PINKin'." 

Change will not happen overnight. But pink is the color of hope.   

VP Leni's slogan says it all: Gobyernong tapat, angat buhay lahat!  (Rough translation: A lawful/honest government brings about better lives for all.)  

Scripture tells us that God always does new things. He never changes, but as He reveals layers upon layers of the truth, we experience aspects of God and His salvation in brand-new ways and depths.

"And the one sitting on the throne said, 'Look, I am making everything new!'” (Revelation 21:5 NLT) 

The Chapter Carved in My Memory

The year 2021 marked the 411th anniversary of the most important event in English Bible translation history.  Since its first printing in 1611, the King James Version (KJV) remains the bestselling English book of all time. 

Why is that? 

This translation was done by 47 men who were England's "best of the best" in Hebrew and Greek language studies and biblical scholarship.  All were clerics in the Church of England, but all viewpoints were represented—from high church Anglo-Catholics to low-church Puritans. 

Divided into six committees, they met in three separate locations. All had the opportunity to read and comment on the entire manuscript. The result? A unified product.   

Aside from being an accurate translation, the KJV is a literary masterpiece. According to experts, “It is definitely not colloquial, but it combines simplicity with majesty. The quality of its language and style may seem formal . . . to readers today, but they were the daily speech of the time.” 

Since the KJV is not conversational, many say it is stilted. 

I think it is elegant. 

Its cadence and word patterns remind me of Shakespeare’s iambic pentameter (my staple reading in college and thereafter). 

As a religious authority, the KJV has provided a standard of language excellence among generations of artists, poets, musicians and political leaders. The phrases from KJV below are now woven into the fabric of the English language: 

“a drop in the bucket”

“cast pearls before swine” 

“eye for an eye” 

“fall from grace” 

“holier than thou” 

“in the twinkling of an eye: 

“money is the root of all evil”

“the powers that be”

“two are better than one” 

“two-edged sword”

“white as snow”

“woe is me” 

“my brother’s keeper” 

“the blind leading the blind” 

“the kiss of death” 

Plus many, many more. 

I didn’t know any of the  above as a child, but the KJV was our church’s Bible. In Sunday school, we had Bible verses to memorize, which I enjoyed, because the lines rolled in my tongue. 

As a writer today, I refer to various translations, but the KJV remains my personal favorite. (I am blogging about it today because in the Philippines, January is Bible Month.) 

This chapter, with its vivid imagery that paints the role of Jesus in our Christian faith, is carved in my memory. When it is read in church or anywhere, I recite it silently in KJV: 

The PINK Less Traveled

We all know the drill. 

Presidential candidates spend millions to hire brilliant minds to create and produce their campaign materials (with an integrated slogan repeated in jingles and ads) for airing on mass media. They likewise finance impact projects of local officials to get them on their side. Plus more.  

That's the common path.   

VP Leni chose the less popular and the more difficult option: the path (or pink, her campaign color of hope) less traveled. 

She announced early on that she could not do any of the grandiose campaign tactics, because she has neither money nor resources. This gave birth to volunteerism. 

There is no space big enough to show all the materials (tons upon tons of songs, jingles, art works, etc.) with a myriad of different slogans, done for free by volunteers of all ages. 

VP Leni also chose to dwell only on what is for the common good, even pausing from her campaign to personally visit and help the victims of Typhoon Odette. This encouraged groups to donate, organize, and help prepare relief goods. 

The path less traveled is a phrase associated with Robert Frost's 1916 poem, "The Road Not Taken." The last stanza reads: 

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

This phrase relates to life in general—when it dawns on us that we cannot always do what is easiest. Sometimes, we reluctantly take the less crowded path, but there, we find solutions we never knew before.  

In our Christian history, Jesus took the path less traveled. From birth to death, He did what seemed undoable. And what a beautiful ending He gives to all who believe!  

During this presidential campaign, those of us who have chosen to trek the pink less traveled are meeting unexpected problems, but they are not insurmountable. If we hold on and unite for our shared goal of an efficiently-run country by electing Leni as our president, we can (we will!) reach the path's end—and, by grace, what an incredible ending it would be!   

 

“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it." Matthew 7:13-14 (NLT) 

Photo credits: all borrowed from VP Leni's various pages and groups

RSVP

RSVP means “please respond.” It is the acronym for the French phrase Répondez S'il Vous Plaît.

This requests the invitee to formally accept or decline the invitation to the event on or before a specific date.     

In the Philippines, many forget to RSVP or mistakenly think it is not important enough to respond. That's why hosts are often left holding the bag, because preparations (and expenses) are based on the number of confirmed guests. On the day of the affair, many of those who did not confirm show up—or vice-versa. 

Perhaps you have attended a few occasions with vacant tables because the hosts tried to guess how many would come. Then there are affairs where new tables had to be hurriedly set up because even those who did not respond to the RSVP arrived and brought along family members. 

There is a standing and open invitation for us that we need to RSVP—the sooner the better. It’s found in many Bible verses.   

“Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink—even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk—it’s all free! (Isaiah 55:1 NLT) Continue reading up to verse 7, and you’ll find how sincere, how ardent, how urgent this invitation is. It is God’s offer of salvation and a promise of everlasting life.

This invitation is reiterated by Jesus many times.

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

“ . . . ‘Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.'” (Mark 1:17)

“Abide in Me, and I in you.” (John 15:4)

Everlasting life does not begin when we die as believers. It actually begins when we confirm His invitation anytime, even as I write today, right now: "I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior" and receive the grace of salvation.  

As we grapple with enormous problems during this pandemic, God’s call for us to live with Him forever and ever—in a wonderful place no human imagery can replicate—is the greatest invitation of all! 

This is an RSVP we cannot and should not ignore

Photo credit: thespruce.com

PINK outside the Box

One of the things I learned in the workplace that I'll take to my grave is "Think outside the box."  

This metaphor means: think differently, unconventionally, or take a new, unpredictable perspective. It is creative thinking. 

The word "meh" was not in vogue then, but my boss in advertising (a British gentleman) would have used it each time I showed him work he had already heard before.  

I am using this metaphor for VP Leni. She is not your typical politician; she thinks outside the box. Let me cite three of her decisions, among many:    

One, when President Duterte, out of pique, dared her to take the lead of the anti-drug war since she was so critical of it, everyone knew it was a trap and she should decline.  To everyone's surprise, she accepted the challenge. After 18 days, she was sacked.  Traditional politicians would have been shamed and hit back big time. But no, she said she would do anything for the country, and went on with her advocacies unhurt.   

Two, she has been trolled and maligned with below-the-belt fake news, making her look inept, weak, and dumb. Instead of clarifying such news and defending herself, she said it is not her loss; she sleeps well at night. 

Three, she encourages her supporters to use kind words that heal instead of crude cusses that hurt. 

Unlike ferocious beasts that traditional politicians are, Leni's growing base—who chose pink as Leni's campaign color—have organized themselves into various groups and are taking the cudgels for her.

Leni inspires thinking outside the box.  

"Meh" does not figure in her people-led campaign that has developed into a movement. Many of the activities are unconventional, spurred by volunteerism—free artwork by artists, free songs and jingles by musicians, free tarps and stickers from donors, free treatment by doctors, free legal advice by lawyers, free tutoring by teachers, and free lugaw (porridge) from community pantries. Then there are caravans and homes being decorated with pink lanterns. Plus many, many more.  

Look closely at how these photos illustrate thinking outside the box. 

" . . . let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." (Matthew 5:16 NLT) 

Note: All the above images were borrowed from posts on FB. I wish I could name their creators, but they remain anonymous. I am grateful for their generosity. 

Refreshment on Saturday Nights

Before the pandemic, I blogged about this special night. 

Three years later, I find myself pining for those nights when we could physically converge in every member's home, round-robin hosting.  

The pandemic stopped those nights, but not the meetings. Our venue simply shifted online. 

As we struggle over another coronavirus variant, Omicron, that has raised the number of infections and deaths in the last three months, we still link-up. There are problems that prevent us from doing so regularly—bad internet connections, upended schedules, illnesses, migration abroad, and work-from-home jobs—but we keep trying. 

After a toxic week reading about pandemic data and hearing about loved ones getting sick or perishing, this night is my oasis, where the grace of soul-nourishing refreshment is abundant. We call our group (a part of our church's cottage ministry) the Reuben Tribe.  

Yes, on Saturday nights, the Reuben Tribe comes together to arm its members, so they will have the strength to battle the dangers of the world outside (on top of the pandemic, the political campaign has fomented fierce fighting, worsened by cursing, name-calling, and mud-slinging). 

We focus on the Word, comfort each other, and pray to the One Whose grace controls all. 

"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2 ESV

OMG

Like a donkey, I bray “Oh my God!” when something startles me. Then guilt, heavy guilt, hits me big time. 

"Thou shalt not take the Lord's name in vain,"  a number of Christians warn us. They frown upon this interjection because it invokes the name of God. If my grandmother were alive today, she’d wash my mouth with hard detergent and water. 

It is never my intention to mock God with this expression; it just seems to come naturally. I’ve been trying to say "OMG!" its abbreviation, so it could mean either "Oh, my goodness!" or "Oh, my gosh,"  but OMG does not reflect the peak of emotions that “Oh, my God!” evokes. 

OMG was first used over 100 years ago (Sept. 8, 1917) by a retired admiral of the British navy in his letter to Winston Churchill. He had to abbreviate “Oh, my God” (the first words in the act of contrition) because the phrase was regarded as the purest of profanity. 

Years later, the phrase has become a little less irreverent. In text messaging and on social media, OMG is one of most common expletives used, intended to mean “wow” in one’s loudest voice when something surprising happens. 

Most people today do not consider it profane at all. John McWhorter, a linguistics professor, Manhattan Institute, wrote, “The literal meaning of the exclamation is long gone. Any expression loses its power over time." 

The notion that I am disrespecting God when the expression erupts from my mouth is too distant from my mind. It's just something that explodes out of me, like “Gee!”  

My guilt led me to ask Pastor Ralph, our youth pastor, one day, “Is ‘Oh, my God’ taboo?” 

His response, in summary: “More than the words we speak, God sees the motives and intentions of our heart. If I say 'Praise the Lord!' but my heart is cursing Him, then in reality, I am not praising, but cursing the Lord."  

That drove my guilt away. 

But he continued: “The issue here is, will 'Oh, my God!' build up others in faith? If it causes division, then let’s strive not to use it. Let’s weigh the pros and cons—it accurately expresses our emotion; on the other hand, is it edifying others and glorifying God?”  

My guilt came back with a vengeance, so I brayed the abbreviation, "OMG!" 

I Think, therefore I'm PINK

Cogito, ergo sum is a statement by 17th-century philosopher René Descartes in his 1637 Discourse in the Method. It is more familiar to us in its English translation, "I think, therefore I am." 

Simply put, it means, if I am able to think, therefore I exist. Anyone capable of any form of thought exists without any doubt. 

In this context, the English line is being used in reference to the University of the Philippines' (UP) oblation, the iconic statue symbolizing selfless offering of oneself to his country. 

Now, at this crucial time of seriously thinking whom to vote for as our next president, I join the decision to choose PINK, VP Leni's campaign color. After comparing the candidates' performance, achievements, credentials, sincerity, and predisposition to offer oneself selflessly to our country, I think without any tinge of doubt, it should be Leni. 

So I sought out UP alumni, who share my views, by trying to join the "Taga UP for Leni and Kiko" FB group. To be accepted, I had to answer three questions: 

1) Degree and UP campus
2) Why Leni?

3) Write the lyrics following UP naming mahal ____________ (UP hymn in Filipino.) 

Answering the first two was a cinch. But the third . . . well, somewhere between my graduation in the Mesozoic Era and today, the UP English hymn was translated to Filipino. 

I thought, Duh, and quickly typed, "In my time it was UP Beloved." I was tempted to send them a video of me singing at the top of my voice (below), but c'est la vie. 

U.P. beloved, thou Alma Mater dear

For thee united, our joyful voices hear

Far tho we wander, o'er island yonder

Loyal thy sons we'll ever be

Loyal thy sons we'll ever be.

I narrated that to my UP chat group (all PINK but much younger than I am) and they flooded my wall with laughing emojis. 

To my surprise, the admin of the UP FB page immediately approved my membership. This proves once again that people in UP think—and therefore we are PINK.

I am being facetious, but all kidding aside, thinking is necessary in deciding who could best lead this country from where we are—mired in debt, beholden to China, and bitterly divided, unmindful of good values.  

May these 100 photos help us think PINK. 

"Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything." 2 Timothy 2:7 (ESV) 

Christmas Parties during a Pandemic

Are Christmas parties possible during a pandemic? 

Well, if you consider staring at a screen filled with tiny squares (each showing either a moving face or a frozen icon) a party, then yes. 

I attended three such parties. Each time, I tried to dress up—from the neck up—to feel Christmassy and get some festive spirit. 

After the third one, I decided to send my regrets to the other invites.  

Parties are social affairs, where people chat, walk, bond, and laugh freely with others. Then there's a rich array of special food. In an online party, these are not possible. The emcees try their darnedest best, but the response they ever get are words in the chat box. The games fall flat because joshing and cheering, which make contests exciting, do not exist. 

So why hold parties during these unusual times? It is one way to "see" each other and to cheer each other up. If we know our Bible, God wants us to be happy. 

Psalm 37:4 (NLT) - “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires.” 

Psalm 126:2 (NLT)  - “We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. . .” 

In fact, God repeatedly encourages us to be joyful. Words such as “rejoice,” “be of good cheer,” “give thanks” are all different ways of God telling us to be happy.

In the end, however, the source of true joy is in God. Putting the Source of all grace above us is where we find true happiness. 

Christmas in 2021 was indeed a merry one. 

Fiscal Failure

Heart failure is one of the most common causes of a person's sudden death. 

This might have happened to our dear Fiscal, the street cat (nicknamed in Filipino as pusakal—short for pusang kalye) who abandoned the streets one day in 2017 and made our home hers, too. 

We lost her today, January 6, to what I would rather call Fiscal failure, six days after refusing to drink or eat.

On New Year's day she was hiding in dark places and wouldn't ingest anything. Before we knew it, she disappeared, her food and drink untouched.  

F-I-I-I-S-C-A-A-A-L! 

Our voices competed with the firecrackers. We posted a LOST SIGN at the guard house. On January 3,  we knew we lost our unfailing stress reliever for good. My research on why cats disappear gave me distressing data, "So they can die in peace." 

Fourth day: son #1 heard faint noises up our ceiling. Son #3 and our househelper, Mother Teresa, with flashlights, searched the cramped area, and sure enough, she was there but refused to come out. Mother Teresa brought up food and water instead.  

Finally, after much coaxing on the 5th day, her food and drink ignored, Fiscal came close enough to be taken down. We gave her a private room with four "beds" (two baskets, a box, and a drawer) and one "bathroom" (a large basin with sand). 

That was when we discovered she had two big wounds. Meanwhile the Veterinary clinic was already closed.  

All through the night, son #3 (Fiscal's self-appointed boss) and Mother Teresa, who fed her using a dropper, kept vigil. With the little energy she had left, Fiscal tried to get out of the room. 

Early this morning, Tony called the Vet. Before he could reply, our dearest pusakal had a Fiscal failure—beside the door, perhaps still trying to get out "to die in peace." 

Now Fiscal rests in peace in our garden, beneath the flowers. 

Over the tears, Father, we thank You for Your grace of four, fun-filled Fiscal years.  

What Award Do You Treasure Most?

My friend, Ardy Roberto, the moving force behind "Project Author," invited me to one of his online meetings with would-be authors (halfway through their first book), to share writing tips for quick results.  Meaning, how to finish a manusript that is precariously teetering between busyness and procrastination. 

It was in the Q&A portion when I was asked: "What is your most treasured award?"  

“Award I treasure most,” I repeated his words and chewed on it. 

“Yeah,” he said. “You’ve had many, but you must have a favorite.” 

Right then and there, it dawned on me that more than all the awards and recognition I have received for my books, what I treasure most are . . . 

“Letters,” I replied. “Notes, messages, and written feedback from my readers. These are what keep me writing.”  

I stockpile them in shoe boxes (yes, I print the digital ones) and when I feel low or fearful about anything (the bedlam created by the virus, for instance), I re-read some and my adrenaline kicks in again.   

As I pursue writing about God’s grace in both storybooks for children and inspirational books for adults, He reminds me that my job is singularly focused on "selling" hope. So He sends me treasures such as these: 

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." (Colossians 3:23-24 ESV) 

Happy PINK Year!

This is our second New Year's Day wearing face masks outside our homes. The unwanted, untamed enemy in this protacted war keeps mutating instead of surrendering, so we continue to be armed and guarded. 

Despite all that, we welcome the new year with hope—symbolized by the color pink. We cannot be  disheartened. We need to look toward a rosy future, when a new president will inspire us to love instead of bicker, give instead of take, work instead of play, speak kindly instead of rudely, unite instead of divide, embrace simplicity instead of luxury. 

Nobody among the candidates for president personifies all these but VP Leni Robredo. By researching on her life, works, and advocacies, I discovered that these are indeed her core values, which dovetail with mine.    

Here's wishing one and all a happy pink year!  

Oh, how about New Year's resolutions? 

I count this as one of mine: continually pray for grace that we as a people will always choose who and what is right and good for our weary, weakened, and wounded country—so that it will be in the pink of health again.

"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night . . ." Psalm 1:1-2 (ESV)

One Child at a Time

"Releasing Children From Poverty in Jesus' Name"

This first line in the Compassion International (CI) brochure so moved me, I tearfully prayed, In however way I could serve . . .

The next day, CI's National Director  was accompanied by a friend to ask me a question. Saying "no" was not an option. 

"Would you be willing to be a part of the five-man National Advisory Committee (NACs)?" 

The NACs would screen candidates for the Leadership Development Program (LDP)—CI-sponsored high school graduates entering college. I looked forward to meeting the other four members. As I was already neck-deep in writing value-driven stories for children, this new job would add dimension to my craft. 

"We commit to honor Jesus Christ in all that we do. Jesus is the core of our ministry and his life and teachings shape our programs," read CI's mission. 

Unto Jesus, I worked with four gentlemen of various persuasions for a good six years (2004-2010), documented in dozens of blogs. We'd meet several times a year to screen LDP prospects and help train the chosen ones in congresses. 

This ministry enabled me to write a book on these scholars'

struggles, dreams, and breakthroughs:

Circle of Compassion

Stories of children released from poverty  

Fast forward to 2021 . . . 

I got a call from CI's Angel, inviting me to speak at a gathering of CI alumni. 

Alumni! The "kids" we helped mentor over 12 years ago! I thought, rejoicing over their  theme, which is the title of one of my books, "Grace under Pressure." 

It was a morning of no pressure, just pure grace, unsullied by pandemic fears. I had a chance to chat with these graduates again, after many years. These once-children-released-from-poverty-in Jesus'-name are now successful professionals in their fields, and are paying it forward by participating in the CI program "Sponsor a Child." 

"Sponsor a Child" is about sharing $38 per month, which translates to life-changing opportunities for poor children to: attend school, afford food and medical care, and be mentored in a safe environment—a local evangelical church where they will get to know Jesus, whose birth Christians the world over are celebrating this month. 

Dear cyber friends, may I invite you to give a life-changing gift to one child in poverty this Christmas?

Here's the link:

https://www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child/

Home PINK Home

For years and years, I would not repeat my Christmas tree motif. Thinking up of what next? was hard to ignore.   

Then five years ago, we lost our long-time househelper, Ate Vi, to an undiagnosed ailment, and so I lost my persistent prodder, "Christmas is three months away; don't dilly-dally deciding on the trimmings!" 

Our tree departed with her. The pandemic made things worse—or better, depending on how you look at it. My interest in crafts departed as well. 

But on Halloween last month, Mother Teresa brought out a cornucopia of old decor from the storeroom. Before she could ask, I told her to put up some of them herself. 

Just in time, pink parol (lantern) leaped out of social media.  Supporters of VP Leni Robredo were (and still are) ordering them from lantern makers.  "It's symbolic of hope; let's hang them in our homes," they announced.

This trend resulted in a cottage industry in various places. "This is not just for Christmas; let's leave them hanging till May [the presidential election]," friends encouraged other friends.      

Suddenly, I had bespoke Christmas theme! Tony called up several lantern makers who all said, "All sold out. If you can wait another two weeks . . ." 

No, we couldn't wait. Finally we found one, but for pick-up.  

And so, they surround our home (on a corner lot), reminding passers-by that on Christmas, a season of grace, Hope came. 

Two of these lanterns made it to our terrace to frame our shrunken, token (1.5 feet) Christmas tree, trimmed with pink ribbons and balls.  

Indeed, if we vote for an honest, hard-working, and transparent president with exemplary track record like Leni, we can hope to rise from the ruins of the epidemic and calamities that have strained the economy of the Philippines, your home and mine. 

"The Lord curses the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the upright." Proverbs 3:33 NLT 

PINK and Simple

In December, it's Merry Christmas, not Happy Holidays. 

Among Christians, there are no ifs, buts, ands, or maybes. Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of the Savior of the world, Jesus. This Holy Birth is the reason for the holidays, plain and simple. 

The phrase plain and simple means, essentially or fundamentally so, without exaggeration or elaboration.

In our home, we try hard to take this phrase literally—the birth of Christ was plain (no fuss) and simple (no fanfare). We celebrate it with the least fuss or fanfare. 

We attend a solemn Christmas service (online for the second year) then break bread late in the evening, after which we open utilitarian* gifts, others given months before**, for each other.  

This year, as the country gears up for the presidential election, I discovered that "plain" is interchangeable with  "pink," the campaign color of VP Leni Robredo. 

Pink has been defined as volunteerism and giving of self. Because Leni lacks resources, supporters have been donating time, money, food, materials, and energy for the benefit of other people in the community. What a spirit of social responsibility without expectations of any reward!  

Volunteerism can't be anything but love, the color of Christmas. 

Love has been most palpable after Typhoon Odette left many areas in total ruin—homes and crops are either flattened or swept away; people have perished or are gravely hurt; and hearts are in grief or broken. 

On Christmas eve, grace overflowed. We had a home-delivered lunch, a gift from son #2 and family who live faraway. For dinner, we partook of a roasted turkey (this 30-year family tradition is good for three meals), a charcuterie board from a friend, and some go-withs in place of rice. The 13-pound bird is son #1's gift and the preps plus roasting are son #3's. 

The other presents in pink (photos below) are from nieces and other kin.   

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*I knew son #1 would give me another translation of the chronological Bible this year. But was I suprised when I opened his present: a chronological Life Application Study Bible! 

**My printer died on me in the middle of a book draft. I panicked; I needed a quick  replacement, but I was broke. My knight in shining armor, Tony, bought me a new one and said, "That's my early Christmas gift for you.

"Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever." Psalm 23:6 (NLT)