Untangling The Web Of Fear
I grew up believing in ghosts, spirits, headless monsters and other fearful half-man, half-animals because my elder brother and sisters, before they became Christians scared me to death.
I brought that fear with me growing up.
That fear eventually developed further into other fears: fear of being alone in the dark, fear of academic failure, fear of committing mistakes, fear of an uncertain future, fear of getting embarrassed, fear of death and the list goes on and on.
Fear.
That’s just one word, but it has held captive billions of people around the world. It paralyzes people. It robs people of the joy of living.
Is there a way to conquer it? Can we just simply ignore it, hoping it will just go away soon? Or do we simply have to live with it?
What does the Bible say about fear?
1 John 4:18 says,18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
Living in a fallen world, we can’t avoid the reality of acquiring fear from our family and later on, friends and media.
Yet, here’s this good news: fear can be overcome.
And God’s perfect love drives that fear out of us.
Staying in the confines of God’s amazing love keeps us away from unnecessary fear, while allowing us to develop the only fear in this world that we could say is healthy: fear of God.
When we fear God, there’s nothing else to fear.
Your greatest fear today might be, not graduating in college or not graduating in time; or perhaps, it’s losing your loved one; failing in the board exam; or ending up dirt poor and helpless…
It’s okay to feel afraid, as long as we don’t allow fear to grip our necks so tight we can’t breathe normal.
Isaiah 41:10 Is an assuring word from the Lord, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Every time fear knocks on the door of your heart, remember His word for perfect love drives out fear.
Photo Source: http://www.pentaxforums.com/gallery/images/160/1_darkroom.jpg
Renewed Rivalry For the Celtics And The Lakers This NBA 2010?
A Boston Celtics-LA Lakers Finals match up for the second time in three years could be an interesting championship plot come June 2010.
The Celtics and the Lakers ruled the 2008 and 2009 respectively. And both teams are entering the 2010 NBA season with some changes to ensure their continuous competitiveness.
Boston, as everyone already knows, made one of the biggest off-season moves after acquiring the services of veteran forward-center Rasheed Wallace, who finally burned ties with the rebuilding Detroit Pistons.
Wallace, the 6’10” flamboyant big man, has a mean jump shot, can play well on the post and could certainly be a big, big help to Kevin Garnett, who is coming off a successful knee surgery during the off season.
Compared to the Celtics’ line up two seasons ago, Boston has more depth this time since aside from Wallace, coach Doc Rivers also added scoring support with the arrival of Marquis Daniels, who averaged more than 14 points and 4.3 rebounds in 54 games with the Indiana Pacers.
He previously played three seasons with the running-and-gunning Dallas Mavericks, a team that reached the Finals in the 2006 season, which dropped a 2-4 decision to eventual champion Miami Heat.
The Celtics though remains the team of the Big Three—Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, whose vast experience and passion to win revived Boston’s pride. Prior to 2008, Boston tasted its last NBA championship in 1986 when it swept Houston, 4-0 in the Finals.
Artest, A Plus Or A Minus To LA?
Meanwhile, the Lakers, learning from the painful championship series loss they took against the Celtics in 2008, reached the NBA’s apex in 2009 after finishing off the Orlando Magic in five games in the Finals.
Trevor Ariza played a huge defensive role for the Lakers aside from shooting timely three-point baskets during the Playoffs that helped LA in its successful title run.
This season though, the Lakers decided to let Ariza go via the free agency rout, where the long-armed 6’7” swingman signed up with the Houston Rockets.
LA, however, got what it believed was a better deal after hooking up with defense specialist Ron Artest.
Though a lot are wondering how Artest’s volatile ways could fit in to the Lakers’ triangle offense and proven championship formula, LA’s general manager Mitch Kupchak did say during the training camp that it’s not coach Phil Jackson and his coaching staff’s job to keep the 6’8” forward within the team’s scheme of things.
Should Andrew Bynum finally be able to stay healthy all season long and click well in the painted area with Pau Gasol, the Lakers are sure to give any NBA team a run for their money.
The Celtics have Garnett, center Kenrick Perkins, Wallace and Glen Davis to lean on in the shaded lane, but a lot of Laker followers believe 2008 MVP Kobe Bryant and his vast championship experience will play a major role in LA’s title retention bid.
Interesting because though many considered him as the greatest basketball player of his generation, Kobe still had a work out with Hall of Famer and former Rocket great center Hakeem Olajuwon to teach him how to improve his pivot.
Olajuwon, who led the Rockets to the NBA titles in 1994 and 1995, was know for his “dream shake” moves that allowed him to dominate his opponents with ease.
Anyway, talking about a Celtics-Lakers Finals II (for this decade), remains too early to predict, considering that the East has a bevy of teams capable of giving the Celtics a run for their money.
There’s Cleveland and Lebron James, who finally got a helping hand with the entry of super star center Shaquille O’Neal; as well as Orlando Magic and Dwight Howard, who also got Vince Carter during the off season.
Over at the West, the Spurs are a team to reckon with as well as with the addition of swingman Richard Jefferson, veteran big man Antonio McDyess, Theo Ratliff and the return of a healthy Manu Ginobili.
Well, the NBA’s 2010 season appears to be exciting and filled with surprises.
Which team will end up king of the NBA hill?
Photo Source: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_42w5-R0zz2g/SlayCbVHadI/AAAAAAAAH0E/D8oCGhluaJ4/s400/Rasheed+Wallace+Boston+Celtics+P
Filipino-Chinese: A Small Minority With A Big Impact
It’s no accident that Chinese Filipinos (or Filipino Chinese) you often find in any part of Binondo are dominant figures and major contributors in the spiraling business climate within this district of Manila.
Plaza Lorenzo Ruiz, one of the main thoroughfares in Binondo, which leads to Divisoria (via Juan Luna) or the 168 Mall (via Reina Regente)
For one, history shows that during the Spanish period, Chinese immigrants who converted to Roman Catholicism and married indigenous Filipinos, were granted special privileges by the Spanish authorities that saw them and their descendants expand from basic traders to money lending business, land leasing and landholding.
Hundreds of years later, the immigrants’ descendants or the Chinese mestizos have expanded and improved the businesses passed on to them by the ancestors. As such, Chinese Filipino businessmen—who handle small, medium-scale and big businesses play significant roles in the Philippine economy today.
When we were still kids, my dad and mom, who used to run a hardware business in Cubao, Quezon City during the late 1970s and the early part of the 1980s, have always taught us (I have four other siblings) the value of hard work, wise use of financial resources and generosity.
These virtues were foundational in the success of numerous Chinese Filipinos till the present, which is why it’s common to hear a one-syllable Chinese surname owning among others food business, real estate, academic institution or banks.
Though Filipino-Chinese people may remain a small minority in the grand scheme of Philippine population, I believe God has strategically placed Fil-Chinese people in this more than 7,000-island archipelago to be a blessing to the country’s economy.
Filipino-Chinese businessmen are among the leaders in foundations that help the financially challenged people or the less fortunate, sponsoring or helping out charity institutions, among others.
They do that out of charity and desire to be a blessing to their community.
I just wonder what more God can do through them when they get reached out through the Gospel, get discipled and released to do ministry?
What a day that would be!
What do you think?
Papa, At 70 And Going Stronger!
Last night was Daddy’s day out because it was papa’s 70th birthday.
Papa (in red polo) with my mama surrounded by their grand kids. Parang "Mano Po"!
We celebrated it at Mr. Choi’s Kitchen in Robinson’s Galleria in Ortigas.
Papa was a passionate man who would willingly throw his life into something if he knows it’s worth all the time, effort and energy.
When I was a young boy, I remembered him buying us (and my siblings) a children’s illustrated Bible with a title Bible, a Book For Everyone.
It was my first Bible as a child and it was also my first encounter of Bible characters like Adam and Eve, David and Goliath, Jesus and Apostle Paul.
Though during my early childhood days, papa was still a polytheist because he worships various idols, he was the first person who introduced me to God as well as teaching me the virtue of loving my siblings.
In the summer of 2003, papa surrendered his life to Jesus completely. One of the things he told me when he got water baptized after Victory Weekend at U-Belt was that God gave him the power to kick out of his system his habit of smoking.
He used to be a chain smoker and curses from time to time, but when he began reading his Bible, praying and get into a small group, his life began to make a radical turn.
Sure, there are still numerous challenges he faces, that at times, discourages him, but I could just see how God’s grace work powerfully in his life.
Papa, thank you for being such a wonderful dad to us.
We salute you for being such a great example to us, and an inspiration as well to your 12 grand kids!
Happy birthday!
NBA Preview: West Side Story (2nd of 2 Parts)
While Boston, Cleveland and Orlando are all expected to flex their muscles and make their presence felt in the East, the West is as talented and as ultra-competitive as ever.
The Los Angeles Lakers remain the prohibitive favorites in the West, what with an intact core of veterans and youngsters that bludgeoned the Orlando Magic in the Finals on the way to capturing their 15th league title in the process.
However, the focus of attention isn’t going to be just for the Lakers considering that the Spurs made some off-season moves that brought strength and more talent back to the Texas land in the hope of figuring prominently again in the West.
But then, there remains several Western Conference clubs that have made significant improvements during the off season, hoping to create some noise and figure well come Playoff time.
Now, here are my top three choices to finish among the top 3 in the West.
Bye Ariza, Welcome Artest!
After getting quality defensive presence from youthful swingman Trevor Ariza last season, the Lakers thought they could still get a whole lot more from the free agency market.
And when the mercurial Ron Artest signified his intention to join the Hollywood-outfit, Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak wasted no time leaving Ariza to test the free agent market while landing on Artest in the process.
Now, having Artest around, the Lakers are even more fearsome on the defensive end as well as a physical presence that they sorely lacked when ranged against a physical team like the Boston Celtics in the East.
Of course, Kobe Bryant remains the no. 1 scoring option for coach Phil Jackson with guys like Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom and even “Bench Mob” members Luke Walton, Jordan Farmar, Shannon Brown, Sasha Vujacic, Josh Powell and even DJ Mbenga providing more support off the bench.
Stirring the Texas Tornado in San Antonio
For the past five years or so, San Antonio has been closely identified to its top three All-Stars—Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.
But after spending several years together that produced championships in 2003, 2005 and 2007, the wear and tear as well as the banging the Spurs’ “Big Three” sustained through those years have made them susceptible to injuries.
Which is why after exiting early in the first round last season after bowing to the Dallas Mavericks, the Spurs front office had been busy burning the phone lines in an effort to bring in some help from the talent-rich free agent market.
First to join the Spurs was Richard Jefferson, the athletic swingman, who has a championship experience with him after being part of the New Jersey Nets team that finished runner up twice this decade (2002 and 2005).
Jefferson has a good mid-range jump shot and can readily mix it up against other big guys in the pain, thus, giving the Spurs a ready offense anytime.
Giving additional inside support are Antonio McDyess and Theo Ratliff, whose wealth of experience are key in preserving Duncan for the Playoffs.
Roger Mason and Michael Finley as well as Matt Bonner could also shoot from beyond the arc, making them a legitimate title contender again.
Young and Upstart Blazers
Though Denver led by Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups gave the Lakers quite a scare during last season’s Western Conference Finals, this season appears to be Portland’s turn to rise to prominence.
The Blazers have a young but reliable leader by the name of Brandon Roy.
Roy, the Rookie of the Year two seasons ago, is undeniably the Blazers’ spiritual leader. Passionate and all-out, Roy nearly led the Blazers to a first-round victory over the Houston Rockets.
But Roy isn’t just the only legit scoring threat considering that Portland has two young, big men to man the slot—Greg Oden and Lamarcus Aldridge, who just signed a new five-year contract extension.
Spanish guard Rudy Fernandez, along with guards Steve Blake and a host of others add more scoring punch.
Here are just three of the top Western teams I think would dominate the West this season. But how they could fair against Boston, Cleveland and Orlando is another story.
Will the Lakers repeat as champions? Will the Celtics reclaim their title? Or will the Spurs say healthy and be back as title contenders?
Which team will be at the top of the heap this 2010?
Photo Source: http://lakers.topbuzz.com/gallery/d/271268-1/Ron+Artest+smiles+in+a+Lakers+jersey.jpg
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