Thursday, September 13, 2007

Cherry Blossom


random pics 065, originally uploaded by joshuaone6to9.

One of the youth in our church came to the youth meeting with this bouquet of cherry blossom that he took from the road on the way to the youth meeting.

It smells really good. It made my living room smells like cherry for a week! At the beginning of summer cherry trees and berries starts to bloom and the flowers makes the trees beautiful and it's fragrance is everywhere.

Crepe


mixed pics 004, originally uploaded by joshuaone6to9.

One of Ukrainian's food is called "Bleni" (Crepe). Ukrainian make them from the scratch. They put apple jam, apricot jam or any other jams that they have in their house. And this is their desserts or snacks. All Ukrainians knows how to make jams.

Sometimes if they want it for a meal, they put meat on it. Sometimes they put mashed potatoes on it or cottage cheese. And that will be their meal.

I've learned how to make crepe here in Ukraine and I am so happy about it!:) I try to put a touch of Western on my crepe desserts. Like this one, I put ice cream on top of the crepe, which Ukrainian haven't tried to do, but they loved it after they tried it!:)

Wild Flower


mixed pics 030, originally uploaded by joshuaone6to9.

Saw this little wild flowers around my neighborhood. There are lots of them along the roads. I don't know what kind of flowers is this, but they are pretty.

Flowers always makes the surrounding beautiful no matter what. It gives beauty to its surrounding.

Ukrainian Choir Group


random pics, originally uploaded by joshuaone6to9.

A group of choir presented a traditiona Ukrainian song during our Christmas party for the children at mine 12/18 (or shakta 12/18).

They love to perform (these women) accompanied by the man playing with this traditional musical instrument. They were actually good at it too.

This place is the function hall of that area. Mine 12/18 was used to be one of the camps of the Russian/Ukrainian soldiers during the war with the German.

Ukrainian Bread Store


bread store, originally uploaded by joshuaone6to9.

One of the Ukrainian bread store near where I live. Ukrainian bread store also sells cookies, crackers, chocolates, and other sweet stuff.

Ukrainian bread is really good, especially if and when they are fresh. You have to eat them the day you bought it though, otherwise after a day or two it will be hard as a rock!

Bread and potatoes is a common food you'll see on the table of Ukrainians. It's like the rice of Filipinos or pasta of Italians.

Sunset in Ukraine


ukraine11, originally uploaded by joshuaone6to9.

One of the sunsets that I took while traveling. Sunset is always beautiful wherever you are.

God indeed is a great artist of all:)

Ukrainian "Babushka" (Grandmother)


random pics, originally uploaded by joshuaone6to9.

The Ukrainian Babushka (Grandmother). Most (if not all) of them are pensioner, but still you'll see them working on the streets as street sweepers, selling sunflower seeds, cleaning buildings, and other works (mostly hard works) that most adults don't want to do.

Their monthly pension leaves them not much to feed themselves. Especially if they have to pay their rent. So, instead of staying in the house at their old age, you'll see them working instead. Some goes to the streets or bazaars begging.

Ukrainian government doesn't have a home of the aged or old people. Not on their priority list I guess.

White Lily


random pics 019, originally uploaded by joshuaone6to9.

One of the flowers that I like is lilies, especially the white ones.

This one is really beautiful. It does smells good as well.

A bouquet of long steemed white lilies is perfect to beautify your living room and smells really good too!:)

Ukrainian Mural


random pics 010, originally uploaded by joshuaone6to9.

One of the walls that Ukrainian made as the place to show their "Mural" or their talents in art.

Seriously, there are many talented painters or artists here in Ukraine. They just need a place for it.

It is a common site though to see something like this in a neighborhood. This one is around my neighborhood.

Ukrainian Billboard


random pics 007, originally uploaded by joshuaone6to9.

Another Ukrainian Billboard.

They actually uses every wall, really. Even the residential buildings. They stick their small piece of papers (their advertisement) to every corners of residential buildings.

Why pay for billboard when you can get it for free, right?!

Ukrainian Bulletin Board


random pics 006, originally uploaded by joshuaone6to9.

Ukrainians use any walls for advertisement. The paste all these small pieces of papers on the wall where lots of people passes by to see them.

Those small papers on the wall are advertisement of someone selling, wanted to buy, work, etc.

People actually stop and read them, and take those small paper ad with them if they are interested on what's on it.

Free and cheap way of advertising...Ukrainian way!

Emergency Intercom


random pics 004, originally uploaded by joshuaone6to9.

The emergency intercom inside the lift in the building where I live. You may wonder also (as I did) if that intercom works? I was told it does. Haven't try it though.

One thing for sure, I don't want to get trapped inside the lift!

Lift Buttons


random pics 013, originally uploaded by joshuaone6to9.

The lift buttons in the building where I live. The numbers were all gone so, someone just wrote the numbers besides each buttons with a marker.

Most of the buttons are disfigured (a couple of them are almost gone though). Seems like someone played with fire on it or maybe just doing an experiment if those buttons does melt under fire..?

Heater


random pics 002, originally uploaded by joshuaone6to9.

The heater at the lobby of the building where I live. I really don't know if does generates heat for the lobby, since every winter that lobby is never get warm. But, they said it does work.

Although, I saw street cats comes in and lay on that heater. So, I guess, it does generates enough warm for the cats.

Ukrainian Speakers


random pics 004, originally uploaded by joshuaone6to9.

The Ukrainian speakers at the lobby of the building where I live. It is supposed to be an emergency speakers for the lift of that building.

I am not really sure if it does work though. But most of the things here in Ukraine may seems really old, worn out and battered, but they are still working.

One of the many facts of Ukraine is that, safety is not in their priority list.

Orthodox Church


random pics 012, originally uploaded by joshuaone6to9.

One thing that you will see everywhere in Ukraine (or Russia) is the Orthodox churches. They are everywhere.

The government spend money to modify, beautify these Orthodox churches instead of spending money in repairing the public schools or hospitals. I guess, being one of the things that they wanted in their tourist list to visit.

This one is just across where I live and been in construction since I moved here. It's almost done now though after years of working on it.

Roses


random pics 007, originally uploaded by joshuaone6to9.

Roses...the favorite flowers of almost all the women. A Rose is a lovely flower in different shades.

A man can never go wrong if he picks up a bouque or one piece of long steemed Red Rose/s for his love one!:)

A Child's World


kids camp '07, originally uploaded by joshuaone6to9.

A sweet and innocent child. How awesome it is to be a child. And how simple life is when you are a child. A child trust people around her/him without doubt. Their faith is just pure.

I think that was what the Bible says to "have faith like a child" as the faith of a child is pure and no questions. A child just do what she/he was told and trust the person with them.

Ahh, the simple-ness of a child's life! When we become adults, we make life complicated...

Teamwork


kids camp '07, originally uploaded by joshuaone6to9.

A big project or work can not be accomplished by one person, it needs a group of dedicated, willing, hardworking, and most of all a big heart to do the job that is seems impossible for one person.

A teamwork and unity in a project is always needed to accomplish and finish it. Two (or more) heads are better than one.

The Beach Boys


beach pics august '07 020, originally uploaded by joshuaone6to9.

The beach boys enjoying themselves playing with the beach sand. A must to do when on the beach!:)

Not to mention the sand castle competitions, others can really make amazing sand castles!:)

Beach


beach pics august '07 071, originally uploaded by joshuaone6to9.

Adult and children alike enjoy and love to be on the beach. The atmosphere it offers to the people that seeking for relaxation with their family or friends is always appreciated.

A beach is one place the everyone run to when Summer hits. You'll find most (if not all) beaches are crowded with people wanting to get away from the city, seeking to relax and wanting to have that beautiful tanned skin!

Beach Sand


beach pics august '07 077, originally uploaded by joshuaone6to9.

Always a part of being in the beach is to play with the beach sand. Adult and children alike enjoys playing with beach sand.

I remember my beach experiences. I always bring with me my "must beach accesories (my mini shovels, rake, pail, etc)" for playing with the beach sand. I think i spent more time playing with the beach sand than swimming.:) I remember I always asked my friends to cover my body with the sand, I will stay there for an hour and watching everyone swimming or just walking on the beach.

My favorite place to relax is the beach. The sound of the waves and the breeze from the sea is soothing and relaxing. The sound of the waves at night puts me to sleep. And the breeze from the sea wakes me up in the morning.

One of favorite thing to do while on the beach. I can watch everyday (if I can) the sunrise and the sunset on the beach. . It's just beautiful and it will lead you to wonder the beauty of sun as it set down or rises. It's always different and beautiful. It just reflect the artistic side of the creator, God. He made everything beautiful!:)

Ukrainian's Wedding


nila valera's wedding 074, originally uploaded by joshuaone6to9.

Ukrainian Weddings are one of the many events that is interesting to observed. There are several traditions that is in itself is entertaining.

Weddings are important part of a couple's entering into another phase of their lives together. As the sayings goes it is "for better or for worse till death draw them apart."

Marriage life is a big step that we make. Hence, we have to think through it and know for sure that we are ready to enter into marriage life. Once we got into marriage, it is a life time commitment and responsibility that we promised to one another at the altar. As a couple no matter how the relationship within in the marriage it is expected from husband and wife to work things out, and not quit easily when things doesn't go well. Divorce is high everywhere, and if there are children within the marriage, those children are the ones that affected the most.

So, let's make sure that we are ready to face the challenges of a married life before getting into it. In my opinion, Divorce or separation is not an option to a rocky marriage. It takes two to get married and it also takes two to stay married. A life long of learning and loving each other.

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Just Some Random Thoughts...

Emotional Fears...

I am sure most of us, if not all, experienced emotional fears in some point in our lives or our walk with Christ. But the question is, how did you deal with your emotional fears?

Most people will try to avoid facing head ons their emotional fears, the mere thought of doing so terrifies them and put them instead to a passivity. But knowing it and knowing it's there to deal with and not doing anything about it is just prolonging the task, and in doing so, making us feel more inadequate to do anything.

To the point we ended up with all these negative emotions added to the ones that we are trying to avoid dealing with. The fact is, we really, we can't do it on our own. We need the strength emotionally and spiritually from above to cope with it, not to mention physically (as some gets really physically sick just thinking about it).

I think that, we should learn to process our emotional fears and analyze them for what it really is. Why we avoid facing or dealing with it? Some emotional fears are just really "thoughts" that are conceived and been nurtured in our minds for a long time to the point that we believe in it, and the fear took it's territory in our minds and hearts. That it paralyzes us sometimes (if not always) to do anything about it. I beleive that is why, as Paul said, we have to renew our minds. As the mind is the battle ground that Satan always target to start his schemes to put doubt in ourselves or in God.

People try to do it on their own as they seem confident to do so, but most of the time they ended up with bruises, beaten down emotionally, spiritually and physically (getting sick). And when that moment of feeling defeat, then most of the time (if not always) people that are discouraged, depressed, and all other negative emotions that comes within them, brings them to isolate themselves from others. And that's what the enemy wants us to do, to isolate ourselves from others so that the enemy is free to beat us more with negative thoughts and emotions.

Emotional fears (i.e. fear to get hurt, to fall inlove, to let go, etc.) are fears that we can really deal with head ons if we just process them and find out where those fears come from and start working from there. Some of those fears we experienced from past and some of those fears are just thoughts and second hand informations.

There is always a risk of getting hurt. John Christopher said "you have to have been a have-been, before being a has-been. which is way better than being a never-been." We can never really know how it is if we never been there. I am not saying that we have to go through to the pain or fear. What i am saying is that, if we have to go through it, we just have to ask God to help us to go through it. Learn from it, and share the wisdom and things that we learned from going through it.

I always believe that most of the times the negative things that comes into our lives really help us to be a better person and it helps to build our character in the process. I see it as an opportunity to grow and develop my character. Most of the things that we been through in life, (especially hard ones) are the ones that push us out from comfort zone and in the process, helps us discover things that we will not discover if we stayed in our comfort zone.

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Deep Convictions of Ben Harper...


Editor's Note: This article is currently running in Issue 28 of RELEVANT, which hits newsstands this week.

"I can change the world with my own two hands,” Ben Harper sings, the veins in his neck bulging as he prowls the front of the stage, pushing his palms up toward the black Kansas night sky. “With my own, with my own two hands.” Up go his palms again, and 12,000 ecstatic fans mimic him, as if joining a giant musical game of Simon Says. Following the amazing show at Wakarusa Festival in Lawrence, Kans., Harper and I talk backstage in a discussion that will last until 3 a.m.

While his passion for music is evident, Harper’s commitment to improving the world around him is the driving force behind our conversation.

I wish more people I admire would do this, talk about these things, because others are listening; I’m listening,” he says. “I need to be inspired and motivated. It’s like [Bob] Dylan sang in ‘Ballad of a Thin Man’: Oh, my God, am I here all alone? We need to encourage each other.”

Faith is another source of inspiration for Harper. In his song “Blessed to Be a Witness,” he affirms, “Only by the grace of God go I,” while declaring, in “Power of the Gospel,” that Christ’s message “is the eyes for the blind and legs for the lame.” While Harper’s skills as a songwriter and musician make all his songs compelling, the sincerity and tenderness of his gospel tracks set them apart.

“I wasn’t raised in the Church, but I’ve always had a church deep in my heart,” Harper says.

I ask Harper if the creative process for his gospel songs differs from his approach to other music.

“It’s just what comes out in waves, and I write it because that’s what’s there,” he says. “I’ve never sat down and thought, ‘I’m going to write a gospel song now,’ but it runs with itself and drags me until the end. It’s not denominational; it’s just wherever it takes me.”

Much like with his songs that focus on political and social themes, Harper is sometimes concerned that his spiritual music will be misconstrued. Thankfully, for him and his fans, these doubts are fleeting.

“I thought at one point, when I’d just finished ‘Picture of Jesus’ and ‘Blessed to Be a Witness’ [both on the album Diamonds on the Inside], are people going to think this or that about me?” Harper says. “But at the end of the day it doesn’t matter. These songs come from a pure source.”

A similar purity is evident to Harper in the natural world.

“I love the concept that nature walks us at one with God,” he says. “When I stand in front of the General Sherman tree and the sequoias in California, I feel in touch with a greater power. There’s no question that there is a higher power. I just don’t want it to be exclusive to me.”

Exclusivity is one of the concerns that Harper has about organized religion, which he believes is often as divisive and polarizing as politics.

“I think if Jesus were on earth now He’d be a little frustrated with the Church,” Harper says. “I’m disturbed by some of the things I see, such as the documentary Deliver Us from Evil, which goes in depth about the problems in the Catholic Church. It’s one of the most astonishing pieces of film I’ve seen, and I’m a documentary junkie. I sat there with my mouth open.”

Despite these misgivings, Harper is confident that a fresh wave of enthusiasm and vigor among people of faith will help those who believe in God to rise above the problems that often tarnish the reputation of the Church.

“I’m excited that there is a new perspective and a fresh outlook on how young people define the Spirit in their lives without it having an archaic anchor,” Harper says. “That excites me. I’ve taken the liberty of that enthusiasm, to be uninhibited when I sing gospel music.”

This freedom is most apparent in Harper’s work with gospel legends the Blind Boys of Alabama. On Harper’s Pleasure and Pain DVD, the music’s emotive power is encapsulated in the tears running down the Blind Boys’ faces as they sing backup vocals for Harper’s resplendent “I Shall Not Walk Alone.”

In 2004, Harper went back into the studio with the Blind Boys, planning to record two songs. In the ensuing eight days, they laid down 11 tracks that comprise the double Grammy-winning album (Best Pop Instrumental Performance, for “11th Commandment,” and Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album) There Will Be a Light.

Harper learned many musical lessons from recording There Will Be a Light, and credits his seven-day completion of Lifeline to the Blind Boys’ old-school recording ideals. The true value of the experience, though, cannot be fully represented on a CD.

“I discovered a lot about God and feel I got closer to God through working with the Blind Boys, and I carry that with me,” Harper says. “They’re almost proof of God. You know, these guys could well have been basket weavers in the South. They could’ve died young, but they exceeded the odds. Their story is evidence that there is a God; they’re living proof of something divine.”

It’s 3 a.m., and Harper has to call his wife. Before I leave, I have one last question for him: “Do you think there will be a light, and if so, what does that mean?”

“Yes, because if I didn’t I wouldn’t have written it,” Harper says. “I’m thinking, hoping, knowing, believing that it’s the next phase. That light is attainable in this world. It’s enlightenment, the fulfillment of compassion. It’s not only the step we take beyond this world and into the next, but it’s also the step we take here, toward each other and ourselves and therefore toward God.”

Author: Phil White

Phil White is a freelance writer and a frequent contributor to RELEVANT

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

The Difference between a Job and a Ministry is...

One day Napoleon got wounded by a bullet so he allowed himslef to undergo surgery in order to extricate the bullet in his chest. Now the doctor operating has operated France's emperor while he's awake, so while operating Napoleon noticed that the doctor may have widened the wound dangerously near his heart, so the emperor said with an authoritative voice to him: "Be careful. A little deeper and you will strike my heart and (find) the emperor is there."


"When God measures a man, He puts a tape around his heart not his head."
2 Chr. 25:2 says - " And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a loyal heart."

The Difference between a Job and a Ministry is...

- If you do it because no one else will, it's a job
- If you're doing it to serve the Lord, it's a ministry
- If you do it just enough to get by, it's a job
- If you do it to the best of your ability, it's a ministry
- If you quit because someone else criticized you, it was a job
- If you keep serving, it's a ministry
- If you quit because no one praised you, it was a job
- If you do it because it needs to be done, its a ministry
- It is hard to get excited about a job
- It is almost impossible not to get excited about a ministry
- Average churches are filled with many people doing many jobs
- Great churches are filled with people who are involved in ministry
- If your concern is just success, it's a job
- If your concern is faithfullness to God, it's a ministry
- People may say, "Well done," when you do your job
- The Lord will say, "Well done," when you finish your course (complete your ministry

very interesting indeed!

got this from one of my friends that posted it on the bulletin and i just want to share it as well...

Read down to the very bottom, you don't want to miss this!

VERY INTERESTING -

1. The garden of Eden was in Iraq.

2. Mesopotamia, which is now Iraq , was the cradle of civilization!

3. Noah built the ark in Iraq.

4. The Tower of Babel was in Iraq.

5. Abraham was from Ur, which is in Southern Iraq!

6. Isaac's wife Rebekah is from Nahor, which is in Iraq!

7. Jacob met Rachel in Iraq.

8. Jonah preached in Nineveh - which is in Iraq.

9. Assyria, which is in Iraq, conquered the ten tribes of Israel.

10. Amos cried out in Iraq!

11. Babylon, which is in Iraq, destroyed Jerusalem.

12. Daniel was in the lion's den in Iraq !

13. The three Hebrew children were in the fire in Iraq (Jesus had been in Iraq also as the fourth person in the fiery furnace!)

14. Belshazzar, the King of Babylon, saw the "writing on the wall" in Iraq .

15. Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, carried the Jews captive into Iraq.

16. Ezekiel preached in Iraq.

17. The wise men were from Iraq.

18. Peter preached in Iraq.

19. The "Empire of Man" described in Revelation is called Babylon , which was a city in Iraq!

And you have probably seen this one. Israel is the nation most often mentioned in the Bible. But do you know which nation is second? It is Iraq! However, that is not the name that is used in the Bible. The names used in the Bible are Babylon, Land of Shinar , and Mesopotamia. The word Mesopotamia means between the two rivers, more exactly between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers . The name Iraq means country with deep roots.

Indeed Iraq is a country with deep roots and is a very significant country in the Bible.

No other nation, except Israel, has more history and prophecy associated it than Iraq.

And also... This is something to think about! Since America is typically represented by an eagle, Saddam should have read up on his Muslim passages...

The following verse is from the Koran, (the Islamic Bible)

Koran (9:11) - For it is written that a son of Arabia would awaken a fearsome Eagle. The wrath of the Eagle would be felt throughout the lands of Allah and lo, while some of the people trembled in despair still more rejoiced; for the wrath of the Eagle cleansed the lands of Allah; and there was peace.

(Note the verse number!) Hmmmmmmm?! God Bless you all - Amen !

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

transferring new weblog site...

hi everyone!:)...just want to share the new weblog link....slowly transferring the http://www.saritaladios.wordpress.com to new link which is: http://saritaladios.com this will be the new link...sorry for the hassle, trying to improve the weblog by putting video clips and be more viewer friendly...hopefully!:)

Sunday, August 05, 2007

a miracle inside you....

i just want to share this beautiful article that i got in my inbox....we all have miracles inside us that needs to get out...let's release it and be a channel of God's blessings to the people that needed the touch of God's love, care and healing...
A Miracle Inside You
"Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts."
(Zechariah 4:6)
_____

I (Kenneth Copeland) remember the first time I went with the Oral
Roberts crusade team to a healing meeting. I was a student and a member
of his aircraft crew. I had been a believer a little over four years and
knew so little about the things of God, especially meetings like these.
However, I was part of the team and eager to learn.

I followed the team inside this huge auditorium. It was filled with sick
people. The place smelled, it was so full of disease. Just walking in
there sent chills of fear up my spine.

I turned around and headed for the side door as fast as I could, talking
to God under my breath. "Listen, I don't belong here," I told Him. "I'm
getting on a Greyhound bus and heading home right now. They can get that
airplane home without me."

Once I was outside the door, I started talking louder. Then suddenly, I
froze. My feet wouldn't move. I knew it was God who'd stopped me
because, inside, I was still on my way to the bus station. But outside,
I was stuck to the sidewalk.

I looked up and hollered, "Turn me loose!" But I couldn't move.

Desperately, I prayed, "Please, let me go! I don't have anything for
those people."

That's when God spoke back to me. Every cell in me heard it. He said, "I
KNOW you don't have anything to give them. But I DO and that's why I
baptized you in My Spirit."

My feet suddenly turned loose and I knew I had a choice. One was life
and one was death. So I turned around and went back.

I was ready to run. But God stopped me. He knew HE was in me, and if I'd
just stay and stir up what was in me, miracles would happen--and they
did.

You have that same miracle-working God inside of you. And there are
people all around you who need Him. So quit waiting to feel like you
have the power to do it and get out there. Once you do, you'll discover
that the power you've been waiting on has been right there inside you
all the time waiting on you!

Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Fort Worth, TX 76192-0001

Thursday, August 02, 2007

Kirk Cameron...found God

"I was rich, I was young, I was famous, I could do anything I wanted with whomever I wanted." - Kirk Cameron

BELLFLOWER, California - At the height of his Hollywood success, former "Growing Pains" sitcom star Kirk Cameron started worrying about something his money couldn't buy: salvation.

He had more than just legions of fanatic fans. He also had stalkers and kidnapping threats, and was sometimes driven to the set in a bulletproof car. It got him thinking about his own mortality. He had it all, but still felt empty.

"I was raised not going to church. We never prayed — didn't know how. Are you supposed to close your eyes, keep them open? Look up? Look down? Get on my knees? What do I do?"

Cameron started reading the bible and going to church. He became a Christian, but says his transition had some growing pains of its own.

On the set of his hit show, the easy-going prankster became detached and sullen. Once close to the other cast members, he pulled away from them all — except his co-star and fellow Christian, Chelsea Noble, whom he married in 1991.

He also started taking issue with some of the show's writing. One script called for his TV mom to have a nightmare in which Cameron's character, Mike Seaver, wakes up next to a beautiful girl and says, "Hey, babe. Good morning. By the way, what's your name again?"

Cameron balked, pushing for the writers to change the scene. They refused. Cameron says he wasn't trying to push his religious views on the show. He just didn't want to compromise his newfound moral principles.

When the series was cancelled after a long and successful run, he continued acting, but began taking roles on low-budget Christian films, most notably the rapture-based "Left Behind" series based on the best-selling books.

A few years later, after reading one of his books, he met New Zealander Ray Comfort, a former surf shop owner-turned-roving preacher.

They teamed up to form Way of the Master Ministries.

Comfort says his ministry was already taking off, but the partnership with Cameron was like putting it on steroids.

Cameron says his priorities are very clear: "God, family, career — in that order."

To learn more about Kirk Cameron's testimony go to this link: http://potw.news.yahoo.com/s/potw/41/converting-kirk-cameron

By KEVIN SITES, TUE MAY 29, 1:47 PM PDT

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

prague's historical charles bridge...

Charles Bridge is a famous historical bridge that crosses the Vltava river in Prague. Charles Bridge used to be the most important connection between the Old Town, Prague Castle and adjacent areas until 1841. Also this 'solid-land' connection made Prague important as a trade route between east and west Europe. The bridge was originally called the Stone Bridge or the Prague Bridge but has been the "Charles Bridge" since 1870.The bridge is 516 meters long and nearly 10 meters wide, resting on 16 arches shielded by ice guards. It is protected by three bridge towers, two of them on the Lesser Quarter side and the third one on the Old Town side. The Old Town bridge tower is often considered to be one of the most astonishing civil gothic-style buildings in the world. The bridge is decorated by a continuous alley of 30 statues and statuaries, most of them baroque-style, erected around 1700.During the night Charles Bridge is a quiet witness of medieval times. But during the day it changes its face into a very busy place. Russian painters, owners of the kiosks, and black sailors trade to carry away some money on the tourists. Not to mention lots of gifted musicians that plays and sell their music along Charles Bridge, mind you, these musicians are very talented and plays really beautiful music! To learn more about Prague and it's historical places check this link: http://www.prague.com/s/praguecity/


mindoro sunset...

mindoro sunset...one of the things that i missed! mindoro is another beautiful island in philippines. a place that i visit whenever time permits me to. i have lots of memories with friends and church family in the island of mindoro. mindoro will always have a part in my heart. it is one place that also aided me in my christian walk. i will miss the medical and dental missions in mindoro. those are the good times with friends and church family. memories i will always treasure in my heart. even the weeks that we were stranded in that island 'coz of the super typhoon that made all the passenger boats impossible to cross the sea with it's huge and scary waves! i will not forget the bridge that was destroyed by a huge and strong wave as we started boarding the boat! amids of all those adventures and challenges...given an opportunity....i will still go and visit mindoro!




nature...human....created with a purpose


nature and human beings alike are created with a purpose. God knows what He's doing when He created things. all of God's creations co-exist in this earth with set time and purpose. human beings are created to worship and praise God and to take care of God's creations. nature created to take care of the human's needs. both serves its purpose as they exist. nature responds to it's care-taker in how they are taken care of. we either can enjoy the nature or we can destroy it. we all have a choice on how to serve each other, may it be human beings or nature.

waiting...

david knew from experience what it meant to wait for the Lord. he had been anointed king at age 16 but didn't become kind until he was 30. during the interim, he was chased through the wilderness by jealous king Saul. david had to wait on God for the fulfillment of his promise to reign. later, after becoming king, he was chased by his rebellious son, Absalom.

waiting for God is not easy. often it seems that He isn't answering our prayers or doesn't understand the urgency of our situation. that kind of thinking implies that God is not in control or is not fair. but God is worth waiting for. Lamentations 3:24-26 calls us to hope in and wait for the Lord because often God uses times of waiting to refresh, renew, and teach us. make good use of your waiting times by discovering what God may be trying to teach you in them.

isolation...pain...needs...

many have had the sad experience of being abandoned by father or mother. broken homes, differences of belief, addiction to drugs or alcohol, even psychological isolation can leave children crippled by this loss. even as adults, the pain may linger. God can take that place in our life, fill that void, and heal that hurt. He can direct us to adults who may take the role of father or mother for us. His love is sufficient for all our needs.

fear...

fear is a dark shadow that envelops us and ultimately imprisons us within ourselves. each of us has been a prisoner of fear at one time or another - fear of rejection, misunderstanding, uncertainty, sickness, or even death. but we can conquer fear by using the bright liberating light of the Lord, who brings salvation. if we want to dispel the darkness of fear, let us remember with the psalmist that "the Lord is my light and my salvation."

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Lord challenges Job... again

Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind: Brace yourself, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them. Are you going to discredit my justice and condemn me so you can say you are right? Are you strong as God, and can you thunder withe a voice like his? All right then, put on your robes of state, your majesty and splendor. Give vent to your anger. Let it overflow against the proud. Humiliate the proud with a glance; walk on the wicked where they stand. Bury them in the dust. Imprison them in the world of the dead. Then even I would praise you, for your own strength would save you.

"Take a look at the mighty hippopotamus. I made it, just as i made you. It eats grass like an ox. See its powerful loins and the muscles of its belly. Its tails is as straight as a cedar. The sinews of its thighs are tightly knit together. Its bones are tubes of bronze. Its limbs are bars of iron. It is a prime example of God's amazing handiwork. Only its Creator can threaten it. The mountains offer it their best food, where all the wild animals play. It lies down under the lotus plants, hidden by the reeds. The lotus plants give it shade among the willows beside the stream. It is not disturbed by raging rivers, not even when the swelling Jordan rushes down upon it. No one can catch it off guard or put a ring in its nose and lead it away.

source: Job 40

honesty....integrity...

if ever two powerful forces were needed to preserve us along life's way, they are integrity and honesty. the psalmist asks for these to protect him step by step (Psalm 25:21). honesty -makes us learn God's requirements and strive to fulfill them. integrity - being what we say we are - keeps us from claiming to be honest while living as if we do not know God. honesty says, "this is the Shepherd's way." and integrity says "i will walk consistently in it."

be in the dark...

should we stay away from unbelievers? no, although there are some places christians should avoid. Jesus demonstrated that we must go among unbelievers to help them. but there is a different between being with unbelievers and being one of them. trying to be one of them harms our witness for God. ask yourself about the people you enjoy. if i am with them often, will i become less obedient to God in outlook or action? if the answer is yes, carefully monitor how you spend your time with these people and what effect it has on you.

right way please...

we are bombarded today with relentless appeals to go in various directions. television advertising alone places hundreds of options before us, in addition to appeals made by political parties, cults, false religions, and dozens of other groups. numerous organizations, including christian organizations, seek to motivate us to support a cause. add to that the dozens of decisions we must make concerning our job, our family, our money, and our society, and we become desperate for someone to show us the right way. if you find yourself pulled in several directions, remember that God teaches the humble his way.

Monday, July 30, 2007

The Wonders of Babies...


i love babies!:) they are the most beautiful creation on earth!:) i love being with them and watching them. they are so innocent and just a bundle of joy to be hold. no wonder when a mother see her baby... all the pain in giving birth was forgotten. it was replaced by a joy of seeing a beautiful creation in her arms, which in itself is a miracle and a gift from God. babies are precious, they are special gift from God. having given a responsibility to raise a child and given an opportunity to love that child is a great opportunity that should be taken seriously and with joy. babies themselves are a bundle of joy!:) their smiles can take away any pain and sadness that a mother is feeling. knowing that she have someone that gives her hope and strength to go through tough times in life. a baby that gives her a reason to live and be hopeful. a baby that reminds her of a life that can change and make a difference...someday...

The Beauty of Flowers

how many times we saw lovely flowers on the road while walking or on the flower shops or in someone else's garden or home? the normal response is to appreciate it's beauty, and comes with it is the feeling of happiness seeing how lovely and beautiful the flowers are. have you stop and think about for a moment, why do we have such response to these beautiful creations of God? have you stop and think why the sight of beautiful, lovely flowers makes us happy or lift us up whenever we are lonely or having a bad day? isn't it amazing how much it affects our emotions? God has His reasons in creating such beautiful and lovely flowers, and one of them is to lift up someone's spirit when they are down or sad. a person who is ill lightens up when someone visit him/her with a bunch of flowers. flowers are not just to make a place beautiful and bright...it does lift up someones spirit as one of the many reasons God created them!:)...it also does reminds us of someone that are dear to us. i am sure you have your own experience or thoughts to share about it, and it would be nice to hear or read then as well.:)




Saturday, July 21, 2007

church is weird....


A friend of mine recently tried to convince me how weird we were. For a while now, he has been obsessed with the idea of what real community looks like and how the Book of Acts paints a very different picture than what the Church looks like today. During our conversation, he told me that if you read the Bible carefully, you’ll see that we’re not normal—that is, those of us in the North American Church in the 21st century. The Book of Acts describes what normal should be like, and it turns out that the “normal” Church in those days would be pretty radical now.


Church, or Experiencing God?

Fighting for Authenticity

Why Do You Go to Church? 7347

Apartment Ministry

Take Acts 2:42. It’s a verse that describes life in the first-century Church just after the amazing events of the Pentecost: “They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (TNIV). In this one sentence there are four devotions of the early Church, the Church that changed the world.

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching
There’s a real sense of authority here. The nascent Church didn’t just drop by to sample what those who had been with Jesus were saying—they were devoted to this teaching. You can imagine that they weren’t just gunning for a 96 percent or better on the next test. The didactic message was, “God has been here, we have been with Him, and we declare Him to you.” These apostles proclaimed not only who Jesus was (Acts 2:36), but they boldly declared that a proper response should produce in a follower of Jesus a radical change from one’s society (Acts 2:40). If a new believer wasn’t “fed” by this teaching, there was nowhere else to go!

They devoted themselves to fellowship
Is there any word more tainted these days than “fellowship”? Does the phrase “Fellowship Hall” evoke images of vinyl tile, metal folding chairs and potluck food? Some modern churches have overcome the stigma and have actually managed to engage their members in community, but it’s a tough bridge to cross. Most people today prefer to hang out with friends in warmer environments surrounded by music and those who share a common life Monday through Saturday. Places like Starbucks, Panera Bread and, yes, even taverns provide an atmosphere more conducive to sharing life than the vibe found in church halls. But the first-century Church devoted itself to fellowship. No buildings to maintain, only people to love. Is it too big of a stretch to say that their passion was to be with one another? Conversion in those days meant becoming a part of a new family (the family of God) that was more real than a birth family.

They devoted themselves to the breaking of bread
This could (and probably does) mean at least two things: sharing meals with each other and the ritual we have come to call the Lord’s Supper, or Communion, or the Eucharist. Jesus Himself had instructed His followers to remember Him in the breaking of bread, and the early Church was devoted to remembering Him in this manner. Some churches still are. While the prevailing Protestant emphasis is on God’s word on Sunday mornings, our Catholic brothers and sisters organize their worship around the Eucharist. Perhaps they have something to say to us about this. Perhaps nothing: There are centuries of Catholic teaching about how to encounter Jesus fresh and new every time we come to His table. How can we be devoted to something that only happens once a month or once a quarter?

They devoted themselves to prayer

Yikes! Anything but prayer! My prayer life used to run like this: “God bless Dad, God bless Mom and … um … God bless the puppies.” I always felt like I ran out of stuff to pray about so fast. But prayer was a central devotion of the early Church. I expect their prayer gatherings were more intense than ours. Check out Acts 4: 24–31 to see what I mean, especially verse 31. Can you imagine God answering prayers immediately by shaking the building? And when the apostle Peter broke free from jail (Acts 12:5–19) he made his way to where he knew believers would be praying for him. He knew they would be at their post, doing something important. The praying Church even thought that an angelic manifestation on Peter’s behalf was a normal occurrence (check out the incredible assumption they make in verse 15).

What would the Church look like if we refused to settle for the same-old, same-old? What if we took a moment to realize how weird we really are? Maybe we could become normal at last.

Author: Ray Hollenbach Job: Pastor, College Teacher, Soccer Coach
Ray is just a country parson at a Vineyard church in central Kentucky

Thursday, July 12, 2007

new page added

just wanted to let you know that my other site: www.saritaladios.wordpress.com was just updated and we added a new page on it: http://saritaladios.wordpress.com/getting-involved/ to those that wanted to get involve in the works here in ukraine.

thank you for visiting the site and for leaving comments. enjoy the rest of the week!:)

Saturday, May 26, 2007

Source of Peace

Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in His ways . . . Happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.
PSALMS 128:1,2

WE think it a gallant thing, to be fluttering up to heaven with our wings of knowledge and speculation; whereas the highest mystery of a divine life here, and of perfect happiness hereafter, consists in nothing but mere obedience to the Divine will. Happiness is nothing but that inward sweet delight, which will arise from the harmonious agreement between our wills and the will of God. There is nothing in the whole world able to do us good or hurt, but God, and our own will: neither riches nor poverty, nor disgrace nor honor, nor life nor death, nor angels nor devils; but willing, or not willing, as we ought.
RALPH CUDWORTH

The one misery of man is self-will, the one secret of blessedness is the conquest over our own wills. To yield them up to God is rest and peace. What disturbs us in this world is not "trouble," but our opposition to trouble. The true source of all that frets and irritates, and wears away our lives, is not in external things, but in the resistance of our wills to the will of God expressed by external things.
ALEXANDER MACLAREN